Road Trip
by Neuropsych
Summary: Peter and Ned on a school trip - why not?
1. Chapter 1

_A/N new story! Now that I am out of the hospital and home recovering from my surgery I thought I'd start a new tale. There should not be a lot of blood and guts in this, but you never know what may happen, so I will stick with my rating being a high one. Just in case!_

OOOOO

The conference room was well populated, with eighteen chairs surrounding the table and all of them full. The attendees were varied; older men in sharp suits, older women in professional pantsuits or business dresses, and a few younger men and women who were dressed just as carefully as their older counterparts but still had that eager just into the workforce look about them. All of them were watching the man standing at the end of the table, who was presenting a slideshow dealing with the exponential growth of sales with the courtesy that was due any kind of project that was explaining where three billion dollars had been made in only a matter of months.

"We merged with the Mericum company and maintained-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt," they all looked over at the glass door that opened into the room. Standing there was a young man holding a cell phone and looking slightly chagrined at having interrupted a meeting of so many powerful business people. "There's a phone call for you, Miss Potts."

All eyes turned now to Pepper, who smiled apologetically at the man giving the presentation.

"Jonathon? Who is it? Tell them I'll call them back when-"

"It's the nurse at Peter's school. She says that he's not feeling well."

Pepper stood up, and the man giving the presentation turned off the widescreen display that he was giving his presentation on. None of the people in the room needed to be told that their meeting was over – or at least delayed for the moment. It was firmly established by then that anything having to do with Peter Parker took precedence over anything that had to do with Stark Industries. Whether they liked it or not – and most of them understood completely – the boy came first for Pepper.

And she was the CEO, so that was the way it was.

"Is that her on the phone?" she asked, already walking to meet him.

"Yes."

He handed her the phone and all eyes watched as she had a very short conversation with the person on the other end of the call. Then she handed the phone back to her assistant, her expression concerned as she turned her attention to the room – especially the man doing the presenting.

"I'm afraid I need to leave. Walden? We can finish this tomorrow. Your division is doing a wonderful job. Please let them all know how impressed I am with them."

"Yes, Miss Potts. Thank you."

She was already heading out the door, now, her attention now on her assistant.

"Have Happy meet me in the garage, please."

OOOOOOO

The drive to the school was a quick one – and not only because it wasn't that far away from the tower. Happy didn't exactly break the speed limit, but he did bend it a few times and he used a couple of shortcuts. They parked in a loading zone and he told her that he'd stay with the car, but to call if she needed anything, and Pepper surged out of the car and into the building, the same force of will that allowed her to run a multibillion dollar enterprise making the few people in the hallways move aside for her as she made her way to the nurse's office.

When she arrived, she found the nurse sitting in a chair beside a low-slung leather sofa. On the sofa, curled into a ball of obvious misery, was Peter, who was clutching his stomach with one hand and a small blue bucket with the other. Even as she moved toward them, the boy's entire being tensed and he started retching, holding the bucket close – although nothing appeared to be forthcoming for the effort.

"What's going on?" Pepper asked, worried, sitting on the sofa beside Peter and supporting his head as he heaved.

"I'd say it's a stomach ailment," the nurse replied, since Peter obviously wasn't going to be able to. "He started complaining of a stomach ache during first period, and was brought to me about 30 minutes ago – which is when he started vomiting."

"Does he need to go to the hospital?" she asked.

The nurse smiled, and shook her head. She was well aware that Pepper Potts was new to the parenting thing and was subject to all the paranoia that came with it.

"No. It's not that serious – unless he can't keep any liquids down. Obviously, he'd be better off in bed, though, and not on my sofa. Take him home and put him to bed, give him clear fluids – no sodas, unless he can handle Sprite, or something like that – and keep an eye on him. He should be fine by this evening."

"You're sure?"

"I'm fine," Peter told her, looking up from the bucket and trying to look healthy. He failed, though, and just looked miserable. "I can go back to class."

The nurse shook her head.

"That isn't happening," she replied. "I send you back to class and you start throwing up… pretty soon I have 35 more kids in here, all looking for my blue bucket." The nurse brushed her hand against his cheek, clearly checking for any fever before turning her attention to Pepper. "Take him home, all right?"

"Yes."

OOOOOO

Happy was leaning against the car when Pepper and Peter walked out of the school. Her arm was around him, and he looked pale – and she was carrying a couple of barf bags that the nurse had handed her on the way out – just in case.

"Is he okay?"

"He's got a stomach ache," she said, ushering Peter into the back seat of the sedan and then joining him there. "The nurse told me to take him home and put him to bed."

"Tower or the compound?" Happy asked, closing the door behind them and then getting behind the wheel.

Which was a good question, really. Peter had a bed at both places, and if they went to the tower, they'd be close to a hospital if it turned out something was seriously wrong. Of course, there were plenty of very good doctors at the compound, too. And that was where he was most comfortable.

"Go ahead and take us to the compound, please," she decided, reaching over and buckling Peter's seatbelt for him since he didn't even attempt to do it, himself. "Call Tony, too. Let him know we're coming."

"Okay."

Happy started the car, and Peter shifted in the seat enough to lay down across the backseat and put his head on Pepper's leg, closing his eyes. She adjusted the seatbelt a little and rubbed his back, gently.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Okay."

"You didn't eat that shrimp, did you?"

"Yeah."

"I _told_ you it didn't look right."

"It was in the fridge."

"For_ three weeks_. Next time throw it out when I tell you to. Okay?"

He nodded, but didn't open his eyes and before she could say anything, her phone rang. She smiled and answered it, already knowing who it was going to be.

"_Pep?"_

"Did the school call you?"

"_Yeah. What's going on?"_

"Your son ate that shrimp and is paying for it."

"_It looked okay."_

"Did you eat any of it?"

"_No."_

"Good."

"_Is he alright?"_

"The nurse said he will be. We're to put him to bed and give him lots of fluids."

"_Does he need a doctor?"_

"Only if he doesn't hold anything down later. She seemed pretty calm about it."

"_You're coming home?"_

"Yes. We're leaving the school, now."

_"Okay. I'll see you when you get here."_

"Okay. Love you."

_"Love you, too. Tell Peter to hang in there."_

Pepper looked down at the boy, and smiled. He'd already fallen asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony was in the parking garage when they arrived, and he stepped to the back door when Happy stopped the car beside Peter's Pontiac. He looked inside before opening the door and saw the boy was sleeping, sprawled on the seat with his head resting on Pepper. Even asleep he looked miserable, though, and she smiled at him while she opened the door.

"Are you _sure_ he's okay?" Stark asked, softly, reaching over her to brush his hand against Peter's cheek – while kissing her in the same motion. "He doesn't look good."

"He should be fine. Put him to bed, will you?"

"Want me to do it?" Happy offered, turning in the seat.

Tony shook his head.

"I'll take care of him, thanks."

He walked around to the other door while Pepper unbuckled Peter's seatbelt to make it easier for him to pull the boy out of the car and gather him up into his arms. Peter roused, but didn't even open his eyes. He didn't need to, to know who was holding him.

"Tony?"

"Yeah."

"I'm okay."

"Good. I'm going to put you to bed, okay?"

"My stomach hurts."

"I know." Stark closed the door with his hip. "Don't throw up on me, alright?"

"Okay."

The movement was enough to make the boy's stomach clench, though, and he heaved. Nothing came up, however, and to his credit, Tony only held him closer, rather than try to escape the potential mess.

Pepper shook her head.

"I'll walk with you. Happy? Will you have Dr. Adams meet us in his rooms, please?"

"Yeah, of course."

They separated at the garage entrance and Pepper held the door for Tony before walking beside him, her hand resting on Peter's arm.

"We do _feed_ him, right?" Tony asked her, looking down at the boy in his arms, trying to make her lose the concerned look she was wearing.

"Yes."

"Then why isn't he gaining any weight? He's so scrawny."

"He must burn it off," she decided. "He's pretty _active_, after all – and maybe the whole spider thing adds to it."

"We should feed him more. See if we can bulk him up."

She smiled.

"Eating is what got him into this predicament," Pepper reminded him.

She held the door to Peter's quarters and followed him into the bedroom. The bed was neatly made – something that he was learning from Steve, who had the whole military background thing that was rubbing off on Peter – and she pulled the blankets back to allow Tony to put Peter into the bed. Which made the boy retch, again.

"Poor baby," Pepper murmured, pulling the blankets up over him.

"You're not going back to work?" he asked.

"No. I'll wait and see what Dr. Adams says."

"Think we should call Stephen?"

"I don't imagine that we'll need to," she pointed out. "Once Natasha finds out he's home early, Stephen will hear about it and probably happen to be in the neighborhood."

Peter had fallen asleep, but when Doctor Adams arrived, carrying a couple of bottles of water, she woke him up with a gentle touch. The boy opened his eyes and sat up a little while she asked him and Pepper a few questions about what he'd eaten and when he started feeling sick. Eventually, she just tucked the blankets up around Peter, warmly, and set the bottles of water on the nightstand by his bed.

"We'll let him sleep for a while to settle his stomach," she told Pepper and Tony. "Then we'll get some liquids into him in a few hours and make sure he can keep them down."

"He'll be alright?" Tony asked for both of them.

"He'll be fine. It can take anywhere from a day to several to get him back on his feet, but we'll keep an eye on him. Where's Dr. Strange?"

Stark smiled.

"He hasn't shown up, yet."

"He'll tell you the same thing, I'm sure. Just let him get some sleep."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Nothing to eat until tomorrow, okay?"

Peter had closed his eyes and dropped his head to his pillows. Clearly the last thing on his mind was eating anything.

"Thank you, doctor," Pepper said, looking relieved as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Any time. I'll be by to check on him, later."

She left and Tony sat down on the bed, too.

"Poor guy."

She nodded, brushing Peter's cheek with the fingers of her right hand. At least there was no fever

"Bet he listens to me, next time, though, when I say something doesn't look right."

Peter nodded, opening his eyes and looking up at her, mournfully, and she felt just a little guilty at saying _I told you so_ when he looked so miserable.

"Get some sleep, Peter," Tony told him, also touching his cheek. "If you need anything, tell Karen and she can tell Friday."

"Okay."

Pepper hesitated, torn between leaving and staying, but Stark offered her his hand and she took it, allowing him to pull her off the bed and onto her feet.

"Come on, momma, let's let him sleep."

She bent over just long enough to kiss his cheek and then they left. Peter didn't mind; he was already almost asleep, again, secure in the knowledge that if he needed one of them, they would both be there for him.

OOOOOOOO

A gentle crooning in his mind woke him next.

He opened his eyes, but knew from the magical tingle and the warmth engulfing him that Dr. Strange's cloak was hanging out with him before he even saw the ancient fabric and felt it caress his cheek when it realized that he was awake.

Peter looked around, but his room was empty.

"Is Dr. Strange here, too?" he asked the cloak, not sitting up – even though he didn't feel quite as awful as he had earlier.

It gave him a purely mental affirmative, and rubbed his cheek, again.

"_I'll let Friday know that you're awake, Peter."_

"Thanks, Karen."

He didn't lift his head, and closed his eyes again, doing a self-assessment of how he felt. His stomach didn't hurt – although his stomach _muscles_ did – probably from heaving so much earlier. The cloak continued to caress him, crooning a lullaby in his mind, clearly trying to put him back to sleep. It must have worked, because the next thing Peter knew, a hand was coming to rest on his cheek and he felt the weight of someone sitting on the edge of his bed,

"Did you go back to sleep?"

He opened his eyes and saw Dr. Strange watching him – with Tony and Pepper behind him near the door.

"No. I'm awake."

"Did you have a test, today?" Strange asked him with a slight smile.

"No. Why?"

"I'm just trying to understand why you'd be dumb enough to eat something that would make you feel so terrible. Dodging a test would qualify."

"It _looked_ okay."

Strange rolled his eyes.

"How do you feel?"

"Better than before."

"Any nausea?"

"What?"

"Are you going to throw up on me?"

"No."

"Then sit up a minute."

Peter did as he was told, and Strange handed him a bottle of water.

"Drink that and see if you can keep it down."

"Where's Natasha?" Peter asked, taking the cap off the bottle.

"She's out with Clint and Steve. She'll check on you, later."

"Is he alright, Stephen?" Pepper asked.

The doctor nodded and waved them over to the bed. Tony and Pepper both moved to the other side of the bed, wearing twin looks of concern.

"He's going to be fine. Dr. Adams was right; we'll have him drink some water and get some more sleep. I'd advise keeping him home from school, tomorrow, too – just to make sure."

"I have academic decathlon practice," Peter reminded him – _them_. "I can't miss it. We have a match next weekend."

"It can wait another day," Tony said. "I'd rather we make sure you're good before we let you out of bed."

"I'm good."

"Not yet, you're not," Strange told him. "Drink your water and go back to sleep, alright?"

With the three of them all in agreement, he knew that he didn't have any chance of convincing them that he was okay. Besides, he really didn't feel very good, just yet. Instead, he nodded and did as he was told.

"I'm going back to the sanctum," Strange said to Tony and Pepper when Peter finished the water. "If you need me, give me a call – but don't try to feed him dinner. Breakfast is soon enough to test his stomach."

"Thanks, Stephen," Stark told him, watching as the cloak lifted from Peter and transferred itself to the doctor's collar.

"You're welcome."

Peter settled back into his bed and looked over at Pepper.

"Thanks for coming to get me."

He didn't know how to tell her how relieved he'd been when he'd looked up and saw her standing in the nurse's doorway, but he had.

Pepper smiled.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Get some rest, okay?"

He closed his eyes.

"If you need anything, tell Karen, Peter," Tony said. "We're both going to be in the compound all day, now."

He opened his eyes, sitting up, suddenly worried.

"You're missing something important?"

"No." Tony's hand was on his head, his gaze tender. "We've got the important stuff covered. Go to sleep."

Reassured, he did what he was told.


	3. Chapter 3

It was his watch that woke him, next. A chime that kept dinging gently at him until he woke up and sleepily hit the proper button.

"Ned?"

"_Hey."_ Ned sounded a lot more awake than Peter did. _"How do you feel?"_

"I'm okay." He sat up, looking around and checking automatically to see what time it was. Still early, it was just after school had let out, and he hadn't had much sleep. "Are you at practice?"

"_Yeah. Everyone wanted me to call and check on you. Did you throw up in the nurse's office?"_

"More than once," he confirmed. "I feel better, but they say it's food poisoning or something, so I won't be at school tomorrow."

"_You're still coming to the competition, though, right?"_

"Yeah."

"_Did you ask them, yet?"_

"No. I haven't really had a chance to, you know. What with getting sick and all."

"_Don't wait too long. There are waivers and permission slips that have to be filled out. I've got the ones for my mom to sign, do you want me to send you the ones for Pepper and Mr. Stark?"_

"Yeah. Email them and I'll run them off when I ask. It probably won't be tonight, though."

"_Why not?"_

He rolled his eyes, even though Ned couldn't see it.

"It's going to be hard enough to convince them to let me drive to the competition. Trying to do it when they're already concerned I'll throw up all over them from making a bad decision about what to eat would be impossible."

"_Oh, good point."_ There was a pause and he heard someone talking in the background. _"I have to go, we're starting. MJ says hey and get better."_

"Thanks."

"_Call me when you find out."_

"Okay."

The communications line went quiet and Peter flopped back into his pillows, closing his eyes. He still felt tired and a little achy.

"Karen? Where's Tony?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"_In the garage."_

"Pepper?"

"_In their quarters. I've already informed Friday that you're awake."_

"Thank you."

Which meant that Friday would almost certainly tell Tony and Pepper. He opened his eyes and forced himself to sit up a little trying to look healthier than he felt. They had both already missed an entire day of work because of him, he didn't want them to worry more about him.

Sure enough, a light tap on his door and a tingle a few minutes later made him look over and see the two of them standing at the entrance to his room.

"Hey."

It was enough permission for them, and they went to his bed, each taking a different side and looking down at him with varying degrees of concern and relief.

"Hey," Tony said, watching as Pepper checked him for any fever – which he was sure he didn't have, since he didn't feel warm. "That wasn't much of a nap."

"Ned called," Peter explained. "Checking on me."

"Not _MJ_?" Stark asked, smiling because the question produced the expected blush.

"No. He was just worried about me missing practice – and wanted to make sure I was still going to the competition."

"It's not until next weekend, right?" Pepper asked – although she kept track of his schedule as carefully as she did her own, and Tony's.

"Yeah. No. He was just making sure."

"Are they so short on science geniuses?" Stark asked, always proud of Peter's intelligence, even though he didn't have anything to do with the boy being brilliant.

But he nurtured it every chance he got.

"I'm the chemistry and physics specialist," Peter reminded them. "It's important that we don't miss out, since we're trying to repeat as champions this year."

"You're such a nerd," Tony told him, smiling. "How do you feel?"

"Okay. _Better_."

"You look tired," Pepper observed.

"I am – a _little_. I'll go back to sleep in a bit."

"Drink something," she told him, handing him a new bottle of water.

"Do you need anything?" Tony asked.

"No. I'm okay. _Really_. I'm sorry to worry you guys."

Which made them both smile.

"It's been a while since you've done something dumb," Tony pointed out. "You were probably due."

"Get some more rest," Pepper told him. _She_ wasn't fooled by his proclamation that he was fine. She knew him well enough, now, and had his measure by then, and knew he wasn't feeling good, yet, and was just trying to keep them from being concerned. He wasn't very good at hiding it when he didn't feel well. "You'll feel better when you get some more sleep."

"Okay."

He let her tuck his blankets around her – it wasn't hard to, since he loved the fact that she and Tony both were willing to demonstrate their love for him in the little things that they did, like that – and he settled his head back to the pillows with a tired sigh that he didn't manage to suppress.

"I love you."

Peter closed his eyes, feeling that love embrace him. Especially when he felt her brush a kiss against his cheek – followed a moment later by the sensation of Tony pressing his jaw against Peter's cheek. The boy reached automatically for him, his fingertips unerringly finding the facial hair that made a connection deep within Peter's memories. A connection between the man he loved, now, and the man that he'd first loved.

"I love you, too," he mumbled, already being soothed back to sleep.

It wasn't hard; he was _really_ tired.

OOOOOOOO

"He's okay?"

Stark nodded, looking at the assembled Avengers with a slight smile. They weren't _all_ there, but Natasha, Steve, Clint and Bruce were all seated at the table in the lounge, having come looking for him when they'd heard Peter had been sent home early from school. Peter wasn't one of them as far as missions and tactics and the like, but it was obvious that they all considered him to be _theirs_. At least, they were all protective of him and were always interested in anything that affected him – both positive and negative.

"He just ate something that didn't agree with him," he explained.

It was just before dinner, and he was waiting for Pepper to eat, when he'd been accosted by the others.

"That shrimp?" Natasha asked.

"So it would seem."

"I _told_ him it looked old."

"I thought it looked okay," Steve said, shrugging.

"Yeah, me, too," Clint said.

Natasha rolled her eyes. Leave it to the guys to think they were invincible – and that Peter was, too.

"Does he need anything?" Bruce asked.

"Just sleep – according to Stephen and Dr. Adams. He's in his rooms taking it easy. He's going to be kept home, tomorrow – although he isn't really happy with the idea."

"I'd have jumped at a sick day," Barton told them with a smile.

"You might drop in on him occasionally to make sure he's not going stir crazy," Stark suggested.

"We can do that."

They left, then, to go find their own dinners or to take care of things that needed to be done before they could be finished for the day, and he smiled when he saw Pepper walk into the lounge and stood up when she walked over to join him.

"Did you check on Peter?"

The frown that she was wearing made him wonder if the boy had taken a turn, but Pepper's expression softened for a moment.

"Yes. He's asleep, hugging his pillow and looking miserable. No fever, though, and he doesn't look any worse."

"Good."

"I just received a call from Ned's mother…"

"Oh?"

She sat down, but her expression was intent, again.

"Did you know that your son wants to drive himself and Ned to the academic competition next weekend?"

Stark frowned.

"No. It's in _Syracuse_."

He kept track of Peter's schedule, too.

"I know. He hasn't said anything to you about it?"

"No."

"Ned asked his mother this evening. She called me to ask what we had decided."

"And you said…?"

"That Peter went home sick today, and we hadn't heard anything about it, yet."

"Yeah… he wouldn't ask us something like that after being dumb enough to eat something you told him not to, would he?" Tony pointed out.

"He's too young to drive himself to the competition."

"Why? He's old enough to drive. We've let him and Ned take off on short road trips, before."

"Not _overnight_. And not to Syracuse. That's hours away. What if something happened?"

"Don't get worked up about this, Pep," Tony said, calmly. "He hasn't even _asked_ us, yet. Maybe Ned thought it up and asked his mom, first, to feel her out before talking to Peter."

"Those two are thick as thieves, Tony," she reminded him. "If one has thought of it, you know the other knows about it."

"We'll wait and see," he said, forcing himself not to smile at the way she automatically went into mother mode. _Momma mode_, as he called it. Although not to her. "I don't want to pounce on him when he's already not feeling well."

Pepper frowned, but she didn't want to, either, and she knew it.

"Fine. We'll wait and see what he says."

"Tomorrow."

She scowled, but nodded.

"Fine."

"Good. Let's eat, then."

Peter might not be hungry, but _Tony_ most definitely was.

OOOOOOO

He roused again when she joined him, but only briefly.

Peter automatically tucked himself against Natasha, not even opening his eyes as she put her arms around him and held him close. It had been several weeks since he'd sought her out for comfort in the middle of the night, and even longer since he'd done any sleepwalking into her bed, but when she'd gone to his room to check on him, he'd looked so miserable that she couldn't help herself.

"Natasha…"

"Hi, baby…"

"I don't like shrimp, anymore…"

Romanoff smiled.

"Go back to sleep, okay?"

"Okay."

He didn't really need the urging; he had never completely woken in the first place.


	4. Chapter 4

With Natasha curled up next to him, it was no surprise that Peter slept through the night without issue. She was gone when he woke up the next morning, but the steady confidence that practically radiated from her had left its mark in his psyche and when he opened his eyes to Pepper's tender touch, he was feeling better for all the sleep he'd had, and it showed.

She was sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning over to brush her hand along his cheek, dressed smartly and clearly ready to go to the city. Tony was sitting beside her, but he was going to be home all day, so he was giving her the chance to spend a little time reassuring herself that it was safe to leave him in favor of going to work.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hey, Pepper," he said, his mind still a little sleep-fogged. "Is it time to go?"

She smiled.

"It's time for _me_ to go," she confirmed. "You're going to stay home today, remember?"

He rubbed his face, trying to wake up.

"I feel okay."

"Good. Let's make _sure_, though. It won't hurt anything for you to stay home and keep Tony company – and we can make sure you're back to a hundred percent. Just in case."

She negotiated billion-dollar mergers and business deals. Negotiating with a tired teenager wasn't too terribly complicated. Even when it was clear that Peter really _did_ think he was feeling well enough to go to school. And maybe he was, she thought – to _herself_ – but she wasn't going to risk another frantic drive to the school if she could avoid it. At least for today.

Peter wasn't a match for her – not when he'd just woken up, hadn't eaten or peed and wasn't ready to go. He would have been at least a little while taking care of those things and he didn't want to keep her from getting going. Besides, he didn't always get to laze in bed, and today he could – and maybe try to figure out the best way to breach the subject of driving to the academic competition instead of going on the bus.

"Alright."

"Good. I'll see you tonight, but if you need anything, call me."

He nodded, and closed his eyes, catching her hand and holding it against his side with both hands.

"I love you," he murmured, sleepily.

Pepper smiled, touched by both words and actions, and a little amused when she realized that she couldn't get her hand free from his grip. It was easy to forget just how strong he was – especially since all that power came in such a scrawny, unassuming, package.

Tony grinned, realizing her predicament immediately and pulling out his phone to take a photo before he spoke up.

"Peter?"

"Hmmm?"

"Pepper needs her hand back, son."

"Okay."

He didn't let her go, though, and she found herself tempted to simply let him keep it and cuddle up beside him if he needed to be held that much. Tony's smile was amused, and he moved a little, shifting from where he was toward the bottom of the bed to the head of it, near Peter.

"Watch," he whispered to Pepper, leaning over as well and carefully pressing his jaw against Peter's cheek.

The boy's hand went up automatically to Stark's chin, and as he brushed his fingers against Tony, Pepper was able to release herself. Tony stayed still a moment – it wasn't fair to offer the comfort if he wasn't going to allow the touch – but then he backed off, putting the boy's hand back against his stomach and covering him.

"Smooth," Pepper said, approvingly.

"I can be taught," he told her, still smiling. "Come on, I'll walk you to the garage and then come back and check on him again before I start my day."

They left Peter's quarters and he had a hand around her as they walked toward the garage.

"Make sure Dr. Adams has a look at him this morning – unless Stephen comes by."

"I will."

"And make sure he eats something."

"Okay."

"And double check his fridge, will you? Just to make sure there's nothing else in there that might set off a new round of problems."

"I'll take care of it, Pepper."

One of Peter's responsibilities was to make sure his quarters were clean – which wasn't a problem, really. He was fairly tidy by nature, and good about keeping the rooms from filling with dirty dishes and the like from the many times he'd bring a snack from the commissary or the lounge to his rooms. Clearly they were going to have to work on the contents of the fridge, though.

Happy had stayed over at the compound, so Pepper was going to have company for the drive into the city even without Peter being with her, and she smiled at Tony when he opened her door for her and pulled her into his arms, always missing her when she wasn't right beside him.

"You'll let me know if he needs anything?"

"He won't need anything, momma," Stark assured her, kissing her, softly. "We'll be fine. Boy's day in and all that."

"But if he _does_…"

"Then I will call you immediately, no matter what time of day it is, and I will let you know."

"Thank you."

He smiled against her lips.

"You're welcome. And start thinking of a _date_, okay? The sooner I have my claim staked, the happier you'll make me."

Pepper hugged him, amused. She'd agreed to marry him – and was looking forward to it, of course – but they hadn't yet chosen a date, and she knew that that was completely on her. She'd been trying to find a stretch of time that would allow her the amount of time needed for planning, and the actual ceremony – much less the honeymoon that Tony had insisted be exotic and lengthy. He would do it tomorrow, if she allowed it, but she needed a bit more notice.

"I'll work on it."

"Good." He kissed her again and let her go so she could get in the car and buckle up. "Have a good day, dear."

"I will."

"_I_ will, too," Happy told him, rolling his eyes and thinking he was going to need a jolt of insulin if he had to watch anything so sickly sweet again, any time soon.

Stark smiled and closed Pepper's door and slapped the roof of the car.

"Drive safe."

He leaned against Romanoff's Corvette while he watched them drive off, and then went to check on Peter.

OOOOOO

"Where's Peter?" Steve asked when Stark walked over to the operations center of the compound.

"He woke up long enough to say goodbye to Pepper and then went back to sleep."

"Sounds sensible to me," Barton said.

"Is he feeling better?" Nick Fury, asked, looking up from the flight plan that Clint had handed him.

"Yeah, I think so. Pepper's just worried. He gave her a bit of a scare, yesterday."

"And _you_, too?" Romanoff asked with a knowing smile.

"It's still new for us, yeah."

"I was going to invite him to come with us," Steve said. "But he can go next time, I suppose."

"I'd prefer he stays in bed until either Stephen or Dr. Adams has a chance to look him over. You guys won't be gone long?"

"No. There and back before you even know we're gone. You'll watch Jack?"

"I'll have Peter take him out once he's cleared to get out of bed."

"Thanks."

Stark left them to finish their planning and then headed for the medical unit. He wanted a word with a doctor, and it wasn't serious enough to annoy Stephen so early. Although if he didn't hear from him by lunch, he might call him to invite him over to eat with him and Peter.


	5. Chapter 5

When Tony came looking for Peter, next, with Dr. Adams in tow, he stopped at the bedroom door, frowning. The bed was empty. Freshly made, but glaringly empty.

"Friday? Where's Peter?"

His AI wasn't integrated into Peter's quarters, but it was to _him_, and was able to answer – even as Karen did as well.

"_In the lounge."_

"Thank you. _Both_."

"He must have woken up," Adams said, hiding her amusement at Stark's initial moment of obvious panic when he'd seen the empty bed.

"Yeah." Stark shrugged, heading for the lounge. "Or he's sleepwalking."

"He hasn't done that in a while, though," the doctor pointed out. She wasn't any more a pediatrician than Stephen Strange, but as the primary medical provider at the compound, she was always up to date on Peter's activities – _and_ she knew that the boy was Spiderman, because she _needed_ to know, just in case something was to happen. "No reason he would, _now_. Food poisoning wouldn't be a trigger – not that I've ever heard of."

They reached the lounge and saw the boy sitting at the usual table in the corner. He had changed into clean clothes and was reading a book, a glass of orange juice in front of him. Peter looked up when they joined him, and set the book down.

"Hey."

Stark brushed his palm across Peter's forehead.

"Capital of Washington State?"

The boy smiled, realizing why he was asking such an off the wall question.

"I'm not _sleepwalking_."

"Answer the question."

"Olympia?"

"Yeah. Okay."

Tony sat down across from Peter.

"You were sleeping when I checked on you, last."

"I just woke up and figured this was where you'd end up. Deena said she'd order me some breakfast."

"How do you feel, Peter?" Adams asked, also running a hand across his forehead.

"I'm good, thanks."

"And your stomach?"

He shook his head.

"Hungry."

"That's good. You don't feel sick to your stomach? Or like you might throw up?"

"I'm so hungry I almost feel sick," he admitted.

Tony looked over at the doctor.

"Is that bad?"

"No. It's normal." She turned her attention back to the boy. "Don't eat too much, all right? If you gorge, you'll overwhelm your stomach and probably bring it all back up – and then it'll be another day in bed."

"Okay."

"Anything else we need to do, doctor?" Tony asked.

She shook her head, giving Peter a smile. He was, by far, her youngest patient in the compound, but probably the most adorable, and she was glad to see that he was feeling better.

"Just keep out of trouble."

"We can do that," Tony assured her.

"Call if you need anything," Adams told them, and left before either could do more than thank her.

"Well, that's a relief," Tony said, leaning back in his chair as the bartender brought Peter's breakfast over to the table. She'd obviously been waiting for the doctor to finish. A plate with eggs, toast, ham and hash browns – nothing that probably wouldn't go down easily. "You had us worried."

"I'm sorry," Peter told him, sincerely, as he started eating, hungrily. "It wasn't my idea."

Stark smiled, watching him, fondly, as he ate.

"It gives me a day with you to myself," he said. "If not for how terrible you looked yesterday, I'd say do it more often."

"Where is everyone else?" Peter asked.

"Pepper's at the tower, in case you don't remember her coming by your room this morning to check on you. The others flew to Iceland. They'll be back some time after noon."

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Scheduled flight to check on some seismic researchers out there. Nothing serious. We don't save the world every day. Sometimes we just make sure the other people trying to do it are safe."

Peter smiled at that, and then set his fork down, hesitating.

"Hey, Tony… since I have you alone. What would you say if I said I wanted to drive to the academic competition next weekend, instead of taking the bus with the team?"

Stark raised an eyebrow, studying the boy in front of him as intently as Stephen Strange ever could. His baby face was earnest and uncertain, his expression hopeful but – again – uncertain.

"Just you?"

"And Ned."

"Something wrong with the bus?"

"It'd be more exciting to drive up. Like a road trip."

"It's in _Syracuse_."

"It's not _that_ far, though – not from _here_. Three hours, there, and three hours back."

"Do you know what happened to Gilligan and the others when _they_ were only going to be gone three hours? They were on an island for years."

Peter's expression grew puzzled.

"Who?"

Tony rolled his eyes. Kids.

"That's more than you've ever done, before."

"But Ned has his license, too – in case I get tired, we could swap out."

"I don't know, Peter. It's a long way."

"I could do it. It's really not that far, and I'm a good driver. I'm cautious, and careful, and with my spider senses, I would even be able to avoid accidents before they happen."

"_Maybe_."

"_Probably."_

"It's pretty far…"

"I know. But it _isn't_. Not _really_. I mean, we wouldn't be driving to _California_, or something. Just a few hours. And the competition is at the conference center. We're staying at a hotel right next to it, so I wouldn't be driving during the weekend in town – just there and back. The car would be parked the rest of the time."

He was so earnest that it was hard for Tony to say no, immediately, even though all of his instincts screamed at him to say no and tell him to stay on the safe bus with the other kids. Peter had obviously thought his arguments through and had clearly done his homework about where the competition was happening and how it was being organized. Of course, he'd been to many of them, so there was no mystery.

"I don't know, Peter. Let me think about it, okay?"

"Yeah."

It wasn't an immediate no – which Peter had almost expected.

"And you know we have to run it by _Pepper_…"

"Yeah. But if _you_ agree, you can help me convince _her_ to agree."

"I'm not saying yes, yet."

"Yeah. No. I _know_. I _do_. But I can do this, Tony. It's not dangerous or anything. It's just _driving_. The weather is supposed to be clear all next week, so the roads will be good and there won't be any visibility issues."

"Let me think about it," he repeated.

"Okay."

"Finish your breakfast," Stark told him. "Then call Pepper and let her know that you're feeling better and that you've had something to eat. Otherwise, she'll worry about you."

"Okay."

"I'm going to go talk to Deena for a minute. When you're done – _and_ you've reassured Pepper – come find me and we'll spend some time in the workroom. If you're feeling up to it."

Peter smiled at that. He was always up for working with Tony on a project. Any project.

"Okay."

He watched Tony walk over to the bar – probably something to do with making sure the rest of the food in his fridge was safe – and then turned his attention back to the meal in front of him.

OOOOOOO

"So the sales for the two divisions are about on par with the first quarter from last year. But since we added a-"

A light tapping on the glass door once again drew everyone's attention, and Pepper sat up a little more alertly when she saw who it was – and that he was holding a phone and looking at her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt…"

"It's alright, Jonathon," Pepper assured him, and the people around the table all smiled, amused. Even the man who had been interrupted. _Twice_, now. "Is it for me?"

"It's Peter."

She smiled and took the phone from him, but didn't need to go anywhere. The conversation wasn't going to be a long one. If he was feeling better, she'd feel better. If he wasn't, she'd be leaving the conference and heading home to be with her sick boy.

"Peter?"

"_Hi."_

"How are you feeling?"

"_Better. I'm out of bed and Tony told me to tell you I had breakfast."_

"You're alright, then?"

"_Yeah, I'm good. Really. We're going to work on something in the workroom today, but I'll be waiting with Tony when you get home."_

She smiled, and the people sitting around the table watching her smiled, as well.

"Thanks for updating me."

"_I love you, Pepper."_

Now her smile included just a little moisture in her eyes, and she had to clear her throat around the lump that was suddenly formed.

"I love you, too. Be good – and keep Tony out of trouble for me."

He chuckled and disconnected the call, and Pepper handed the phone back to her assistant. A moment later, she nodded to the presenter, and he continued his presentation, but she missed the first few sentences, despite herself.


	6. Chapter 6

They didn't spend all day in the workroom. They started there once Peter got off the phone with Pepper and Tony finished speaking with the bartender, but had only been working on an energy conversion charge for the Ironman suit for less than twenty minutes when they were interrupted by happy fabric swooshing into the room and knocking things off the work table in its haste to reach Peter and swathe him in cheer with a slight undertone of annoyance that it had had to come looking for him, rather than having him in bed where it knew where to find him.

Strange had followed, smirking at Stark's annoyed look.

"Gentlemen."

"Stephen," Tony responded, reaching down and picking up a prototype gauntlet for his suit that he'd been working on for days, but now would have to be checked for any damage to the welds from the fall. "Does that thing have more than one setting?"

"No. Not that I am aware. You might ask Peter."

The doctor looked at the boy, his expression far more intense as he watched for any sign of discomfort.

"Has Lydia seen you, yet?"

"Who?"

"Doctor Adams."

"Yeah. She said I'm good."

"She said that?"

"No. She said not too eat too much and to stay out of trouble."

"And _have_ you?"

"I had breakfast and have been hanging out with Tony, since."

"So we're at 50%..."

Stark rolled his eyes, but Peter grinned.

"We're doing okay."

"No stomach ache?"

"No."

"Light-headedness?"

"No."

"When did you eat?" he asked, looking at his watch.

"About forty minutes ago."

"Then you're probably fine."

Peter nodded.

"I feel okay. I probably could have gone to school today."

"Maybe. Better to err on the side of caution, sometimes. Especially where the stomach is concerned."

"As sick as you were yesterday, I'm just glad to see you on your feet looking so much better, today," Stark added. "School is important, of course, but not worth the risk of sending you off if you're not up for it."

Peter just shrugged. He didn't have an argument for that.

"Working in here, today?" Strange asked.

"Yeah. Want to play, too?"

The doctor shook his head.

"I have things to take care of today," he said. "I just wanted to check on Peter."

Tony might have told him that he could have just called, but he didn't. For one thing, he liked having Strange around. The man was intelligent, powerful and creative. He also had a great sense of humor that he wasn't afraid to allow to show and he wasn't intimidated by him, which wasn't always – or even _often_ – the case when it came to other people. For another thing, he knew that Strange truly liked Peter, and that Peter liked him, too. Stark wanted him around whenever he wanted to be around.

Sometimes even when he _didn't_.

"You could stick around. The others will be back from Iceland in a while."

"Natasha told me 2 pm."

"That qualifies as a while."

The doctor smiled, amused and pleased by the invitation. He shook his head, though, and reached for Peter's forehead – just to make certain he wasn't fevered.

"No. Thank you. I might swing by this evening, but only if I can finish the cataloging Wong and I are working on."

"Anything you need help with?" Peter asked.

"Wrong language," Strange replied. "Thank you, though."

The cloak grumbled in Peter's mind but transferred itself with a final caress. Strange winked at Peter – as if aware that his ancient relic wanted to stay – and then he and the cloak vanished.

"I like that man," Tony told Peter. "You know he tried to win you from me in a chess game, once?"

"What? _Really_?"

"Yeah."

"But you won?"

"I didn't risk it." Tony ruffled Peter's hair. "Could you imagine if I had to explain to Pepper why you were packing up to move to the sanctum?"

"Less complications, though," Peter pointed out.

"Maybe," Stark admitted, feeling a rush of love for the boy that surprised him. He thought he was beyond all the truly gooey feelings. "But I'd miss you more than you'll ever know."

Peter smiled and hugged him, also overcome by just how much the man had come to mean to him. Tony shook his head and returned the embrace, dropping the gauntlet once more and this time not bothering to pick it up.

OOOO

"You're _sure_ you feel okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just not hungry."

"It's _lunchtime_, Peter. What do I tell Pepper?"

"Tell her that I had a late breakfast. I'll explode if I eat anything."

"Just have some fries, or something."

"I'm really not hungry, Tony. You heard Dr. Adams. I'm not supposed to eat too much…"

"What are you guys doing?"

"I think Tony's trying to fatten me up," Peter told Natasha with a smile – both amusement and greeting, since she had just returned from their flight. "He's trying to make me eat, even though I'm not hungry."

"Because he's been _sick_," Stark pointed out.

She frowned, pulling off the gloves she still had on, and reached for his forehead. The hand that rested against it also pulled him back against her so that she could brush a kiss against his cheek – which was her favorite way to check him for a fever. He didn't feel warm, though. Peter didn't mind; free kiss from a beautiful spy. Who was he to complain?

"You're not hungry?"

"No. I had a late breakfast. I ate just a few hours ago."

"Did Stephen come check on you?"

"Yes, and so did Dr. Adams. I'm fine."

"Make him eat a hamburger for me, Romanoff," Tony said.

"You should have something for lunch, baby. I know you didn't hold anything down, yesterday, right?"

"I was sick."

"Eat a hamburger, okay? At least some of it."

He rolled his eyes at Tony's smirk, but he nodded.

"If I throw up, though, it's you guy's fault."

She smiled.

"A risk I'm willing to take."

"How was the flight?" Stark asked, waving at the assistant bartender to come take their lunch order. "You're back earlier than expected."

"They waved us off, so we never landed."

"Are they okay?" Peter asked, curiously.

"Yeah. They didn't want us causing any artificial readings with the Quinjet. We'll go back tomorrow or the next day. What did you guys do?"

"I played with Jack for a while, and kept Tony company in the work room."

"I kept Peter company and fixed a glove that your boyfriend's cloak buddy made me drop."

"His cloak buddy, huh?"

"Yes."

She just smiled and shook her head.

"I'm going to go debrief." Her hand dropped to Peter's shoulder. "I'll come find you this evening, sometime, okay?"

"Yeah."

OOOOOOOO

Tony was waiting for Pepper when she pulled into the garage, leaning – as usual – against Peter's car. He smiled a greeting when he opened the door, but his expression was slightly guilty when he leaned over and kissed her.

"Where's Peter?" she asked, curiously. "He told me he was going to meet me, too."

"Yeah… he had _planned_ to…"

"But?"

"He sort of threw up."

"Again?" she handed him her bag, her expression worried. "Did he relapse? Is he alright? Has Stephen seen him?"

"He's fine, honey."

"Where is he?"

"I put him back to bed."

"Has Stephen seen him?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"He sort of told me it was my fault – which is _wasn't_."

"How is it your fault?"

"_Peter_ might tell you that I forced him to eat too much lunch, too soon after breakfast… If he does, just remember; he's probably _delirious_ or something…"

"Tony…"

Stark shrugged and sighed.

"He said he wasn't hungry, but it was lunchtime and I wanted him to eat something – so you wouldn't worry."

"And?"

"And I might have had Natasha talk him into eating a burger, anyway."

"What?"

"Well, he wasn't listening to _me_."

"Because he was already full?"

"Something like that. Anyway, not long after, he had about a minute's warning and everything came up, again."

"Poor guy."

"All over _me_."

She shook her head, turning toward Peter's quarters instead of theirs. She'd check on him, first, and then she could go change.

"He's alright?"

"Natasha called Stephen to come check him out – and Adams showed up, as well. It was like she had some 6th sense that told her something was going on. They said he'll be fine. We shouldn't feed him anything for a while, though."

OOOOO

Peter was in bed, like Tony had said. He wasn't alone; Natasha was sitting beside him, looking worried and rubbing his back, while letting him use her as a pillow. Both of them looked up when she walked in, and she frowned at just how pale and awful he looked – even though he tried to force a smile, that looked a lot more like a grimace.

"Hi, Pepper…"

"Hi, sweetheart," she murmured, leaning over and brushing her hand against his cheek as she sat on the edge of the bed. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine."

She knew that wasn't the complete truth, and to judge from the look on Romanoff's face, so did she. He was probably trying to keep her from being worried, and trying to keep Natasha from feeling guilty. _Tony_, too, maybe.

"Yeah?"

He nodded and closed his eyes.

"This one's on _me_," Natasha said, brushing his cheek. "He said he wasn't hungry. I should have listened."

"Well, _you're_ new to the sick kid thing, too," Pepper reminded her with a slight smile. "It's a learning process, right? We've never had stomach issues with him, before."

"That's what I said," Tony told her, sitting down next to Pepper. "We'll know better, next time."

"I have a debriefing to conclude," Romanoff said, sliding out from under him and replacing the space with a couple of pillows. "Now that you're home, I'll go finish it. If you need anything, Peter, just call."

He caught her hand and nodded. Clearly, he wasn't holding her responsible for anything, and he was silently trying to make sure that she knew it.

"Thanks, Natasha."

She left and Pepper took Peter's hand.

"Do you need anything?"

He shook his head.

"I'm just going to be still for a while…"

Getting up hadn't worked out that well for him, obviously.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." He sighed, and held her hand against him. "I want to talk to you later, though... okay?"


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: You guys are getting chapters faster than I anticipated – even being home and stuck in bed. Not only am I not hopped up on pain-killers and able to function (mentally) but Tacoma – where I live – is in the middle of the worst snowfall that we've seen in years and years. Everything is closed and it's dangerous to drive, so my friends can't come keep me company so writing is the mist interesting thing I can really do, right now. This story is on pace to be a fairly long one, being drawn out in the beginning like it is. No worries. I have time to finish it!_

OOOOOO

Peter fell asleep almost immediately.

The timing was suspicious enough that Tony suspected that the boy had been holding out long enough to make sure Pepper had a chance to see him and talk to him. He was like that, sometimes, and stubborn enough to fight his newest bout of misery, Stark knew. When they knew he was asleep for certain, Tony caught Pepper's hand, much in the same was Peter had caught it earlier that morning.

"Go ahead and get changed," he told her. "I'll stay with him in case he wakes."

"Any idea what he wants to talk to me about?" she asked. "Tell me it's not driving himself across half the state, alone."

"Probably. He asked me about it, earlier. What I thought about it, that is."

"He's too young to drive that far."

"He's old enough to drive there, legally. Wait and hear his arguments, Pepper. That way you can say you listened to them with an open mind."

"You're on his side?"

"I'm _always_ on his side," Tony said, softly. "You know that. Just like you are, Pep. It _doesn't_ mean I'm all for him driving himself, though. If being on his side means he takes the bus, then that's what we'll tell him. After we consider his request, fairly."

She frowned at that, but was obviously considering it. Then nodded and brushed her fingers against his cheek as she stood up.

"I won't be long."

He watched her go and Tony shifted positions, moving to lounge beside Peter's sleeping form. The boy was on his side, facing his door and away from Stark. Since moving him around was almost certainly a bad idea, Tony just rested a hand carefully on his back so he'd know that he wasn't alone, and wasn't facing his misery by himself.

He mumbled something, but he didn't move, and he didn't wake up.

"Easy…" Tony murmured, gently. "Back to sleep."

Despite the fact that he knew Natasha felt guilty about Peter getting sick again, Tony knew that he was responsible, this time. The shrimp thing was _Peter_, but he hadn't listened to him when he'd said he didn't think he should eat, and had even sicced Romanoff on the boy when he'd become stubborn about eating. He felt bad about it – and for making Pepper worry – but he knew they'd neither one hold it against him.

And maybe he learned a lesson that sometimes just because he was the adult and Peter was the teen, maybe he could be wrong and Peter could be right.

Not _often_, of course.

OOOOOO

"That wasn't a good idea."

"No."

Pepper was supporting Peter as he dry-heaved into his wastebasket, and Tony cleared all the dishes and food from their dinner out of the room and set them in the corridor outside Peter's rooms, entirely. They hadn't wanted to leave him – even to have dinner – and had decided to eat in his bedroom, keeping him company while he slept.

Apparently just the odor of food was enough to trigger the boy's hypersensitive stomach, and the retching had started even before Peter woke up. Now he was awake, dragged from an uneasy sleep by his nausea, and simply clinging wretchedly to the wastebasket as his body tried to void his stomach of anything that might be left in it.

When he was done, he simply lay on the bed, his head over the edge, trying to catch his breath.

Pepper handed him a bottle of water.

"Just take a sip and rinse your mouth out," she suggested. "Don't try to keep it down, just yet."

It was what Strange had told Tony when he'd been by earlier. Peter did what he was told, exhausted even though he'd slept a couple of hours and when he was done, he turned and curled back up into that same ball of misery, tucking his face into her side and simply holding onto her.

"Do you want me to have a doctor come by and double-check him?" Tony asked, softly, running his hand along Peter's back, giving the boy what support that he could.

"Not, yet," she said. "We'll give him a chance to relax before we start letting them poke and prod him."

OOOOOOOO

They hadn't counted on Stephen, of course, coming to check on his youngest – and really, _only_, patient. The cloak led the way, but it proved that it didn't want anything to do with being thrown up on, because it simply hovered around the head of the bed, a corner of fabric brushing Tony's cheek, since he was closest.

Strange followed more sedately, but no less concerned, and Natasha was beside him.

"Still nauseated?" he asked, proving that he hadn't missed the signs – or maybe the _sounds_ – of Peter being sick.

Pepper looked down at the boy.

"Yes. I had him rinse his mouth out with some water, but do you have something for it?"

"Yes," he said, decisively. "Let's get this taken care of now." He looked at Tony. "Parental permission?"

"You know you have it."

"I'll give him an anti-nausea medication – it's usually used for morning sickness, but will work well to keep _his_ stomach calm, too."

"No weird side-effects?" Tony asked.

"Sleepiness is most common, but I'm going to take care of that, as well."

"That's fine, then."

A syringe appeared in the doctor's hand and he moved to the bed and bared Peter's hip and gave him an injection.

"Do we worry about him dehydrating?" Natasha asked.

"No. I'll handle that," Strange assured her. "Slide out from under him, Pepper."

Peter wasn't asleep, but he was a little groggy, and he clutched at her as she moved away, obviously not ready to lose the comfort of her embrace.

"Easy," Tony murmured, brushing his hand against the boy's temple, gently, reminding him that he wasn't alone.

When Pepper was clear, Strange very slowly, and very carefully, rolled Peter onto his back, propping him up with several pillows that appeared out of nowhere to fortify those already on the bed. The slow action, or the medication, worked enough to allow the motion without aggravating his stomach any more than it already was, and Peter opened his eyes to look up at his doctor.

"Please don't…"

Strange didn't know what he meant, but he assumed the boy was worried about moving around – or _being_ moved – and probably throwing up again.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, projecting calm and confidence as surely as Natasha normally did.

"It's alright, Peter" he said, taking Peter's hand and rubbing an alcohol pad along it before inserting a needle so smoothly that boy didn't even notice. A moment later there was an IV drip started, hanging from a stand that came from the same place the fluid bag had. "You're going to sleep tonight, and I promise you'll feel much better tomorrow."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

They watched as Stephen rested his hand on Peter's sweat-soaked brow, his thumb moving along the boy's forehead in an oddly repeating pattern. Peter suddenly frowned, feeling a tingle that wasn't from the cloak, but was definitely magic being used, and suddenly he sighed and closed his eyes, his tense frame relaxing so quickly that even though none of the others could feel it, they all decided that there had to be some magic involved.

"The bag is just saline," Strange told the others. "Just to avoid dehydration. With his abilities and his propensity for sleepwalking, I used a spell to put him to sleep so he doesn't pull the needle in the middle of the night. I'll be by to check him in the morning, but he's fine, really. And he will be, _tomorrow_, too."

"Thank you," Pepper said, sincerely, taking the place the doctor vacated.

"Don't let him eat anything until I check him. He doesn't need to drink anything, either. If he wakes up thirsty, give him a few ice chips, but nothing more. I don't want anything in his stomach, right now."

Tony nodded.

"We can stay with him, though, right?"

"Of course."

It was a given that they'd want to. Strange knew it as well as anyone. As much as _he_ would have liked to sit with the boy, too, he winked at Natasha and offered her his arm as Tony and Pepper moved to flank their boy, Pepper careful not to dislodge the needle that was taped neatly to the back of Peter's hand as she pulled the blankets over him to avoid letting him get chilled.

"I'll see you in the morning."


	8. Chapter 8

The dull light of predawn was forcing its way into his bedroom window when Peter woke. Feeling a bit of a headache, he opened his eyes and without moving, looked around to get his bearings. Propped up by what had to be a mountain of pillows, he was on his back – which wasn't a normal position for him – with an IV in his hand and a tube leading to a bag of liquid hanging on a stand next to the bed. He wasn't alone in his bed, he noticed, immediately.

Pepper was sleeping on that side of him. Covered with the same comforter that he was, she was on her side and also using the same mountain of pillows. Tony was on the other side – also asleep – but he had an arm draped over Peter, protectively.

Without moving any more than necessary to avoid waking either of them, he looked down at his watch and saw that it wasn't even six am, yet. With the dull ache in his head and a slight pang of illness in his gut, Peter decided that he wasn't ready to face his day, yet. Instead, he closed his eyes and let the warmth and security of the two of them lull him back to sleep.

It didn't take long.

OOOOOO

A cool hand running along his cheek woke him, next. He opened his eyes and saw Natasha leaning over him, and realized at the same moment that Pepper and Tony were both gone. He also saw that the IV he'd noticed earlier was gone, as well. She smiled when she saw he was awake.

"Hi, baby."

"Hi."

He caught her hand, and rolled slowly sideways, still holding it and pulling her down onto the bed with him, her arm coming around him in a silent and somewhat demanding request to be cuddled by her. Peter heard her chuckle as she complied, and she ended up next to him, holding him from behind. She was the only one who had ever spooned with him before, but he liked the position and the comforting sensation of having her so close and having her arms around him – although he'd have to be a lot more asleep (or maybe _drunk_?) than he was just then for him to try being the spoon_er _rather than the spoon_ee_.

"How do you feel?" she asked, almost whispering in his ear.

"Tired."

"Sick?"

"A little. Not like before, though."

"Good."

"Where's Pepper and Tony?"

"They went to get dressed," Romanoff told him. "They slept here last night, keeping you company. I told them I'd stay with you until they got back."

"Yeah." He squeezed her hand. "Are you okay?"

"I feel a little guilty," she admitted.

"For convincing me to eat the burger?"

"M-hmmm."

Peter rolled over, releasing her hand so he could, but not moving from the circle of her arms.

"You shouldn't," he murmured, pressing his cheek against her collarbone "I could have refused. I was just too lazy to argue."

She smiled, her hand coming up to brush his hair back from his forehead.

"You'd say no to me?"

"Probably not," he admitted. "I would have felt worse for having said no than I felt last night."

"I'm sorry, Peter," she told him, realizing the truth of that.

"It's okay. _Really_."

They lay quiet for a moment.

"Where's Dr. Strange?"

"He's around."

"He is? I don't feel the cloak."

"It didn't come with him this morning. Just him. I think it was worried that you'd throw up on it."

Which made him smile. Before he could say anything, though, Tony's voice spoke up.

"_I'm_ his favorite target for that, right now."

Both looked over toward the door, and Natasha kissed Peter and rolled off the bed to allow the boy to sit up for a better view. Pepper and Tony were standing at the doorway, and Strange was beside them. The doctor was dressed as sharply as ever in a suit, but the other two were both in jeans. Tony in a t-shirt with a zip up sweatshirt, that wasn't at the moment, and Pepper in a white polo shirt. They might be dressed, but they were dressed for a weekend, not for a Wednesday.

All three walked over, but Tony and Pepper came to the far side of the bed, leaving the side closest to the door for Strange, who smiled at Natasha as she moved out of his way and then sat down on the edge of the bed.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm okay?"

"Sick to your stomach?"

Peter shook his head.

"Not too much, really. More like I did yesterday before breakfast. A little _tired_, maybe?"

"Yes. That isn't surprising. I gave you some medication last night for the nausea that was going to probably have that effect on you. Do you feel lethargic, though? So tired that you don't think you can move? That kind of thing?"

"No. I feel okay." He looked over at Pepper, apologetically. "Not good enough for school, though, probably."

She shook her head.

"We'd rather you stay home today."

"Alright," Strange said, pulling everyone's attention back to him. "The plan for today is you're going to eat a bowl of oatmeal right now. If you hold that down, I want you to have some soup at lunch – you can choose what kind, but not _chili_ or anything with a lot of spices. If _that_ goes right, something sensible for dinner – chicken or something bland, wouldn't be a bad idea. We'll reassess some time this evening for tomorrow."

He waited for any argument, but none was coming from any of them. A moment later a bowl of oatmeal on a bedside tray appeared and Strange put it over Peter's lap. It wasn't very big, but Peter still hesitated before picking up the spoon.

"It should stay down," the doctor assured him.

If not, it wouldn't hurt coming back up, at least.

Peter nodded and picked up his spoon.

"What do _we_ do?" Tony asked, his arm around Pepper, casually.

"You call me if something doesn't stay down. No fluids until this evening, and then only clear liquids; juices, water that kind of thing. Any questions? Concerns?"

"Thank you, Stephen," Pepper told him.

"You're welcome. I'll be by tonight."

He got up and left with Natasha, and Tony moved around the bed to sit in the space he'd vacated.

"We want you to stay in bed today, okay?"

Peter nodded, looking at Pepper.

"You're not working, today?"

"No. I have a lot of sick days I haven't used. I'm going to take one and stick around in case you need something."

"You don't have to," he pointed out, feeling guilty that she was missing work just for him. She'd already left early one day and he'd interrupted her another. "I'll probably just sleep."

Pepper smiled, reaching out and touching his arm.

"I don't _have_ to," she agreed. "But I _want_ to. It's a _mom_ thing, okay?"

Which took out any argument that he might have used before he could even form them in his mind, and made him smile and glance at the hand that was touching his arm. The same hand that carried the ring he'd given her. Not as flashy as the engagement ring, but with a lot more impact to him.

"Okay. Thank you."

Carefully, watching his tray to make sure nothing tipped, Pepper leaned over and brushed a kiss against his temple.

"You're welcome. Now eat. Then we'll let you sleep for a while."

"I want to talk to you, though," he said, his spoon still in hand. "The competition that's coming up is in _Syracuse_, you know?"

She made a purely mental groan; knowing that he _must_ be worrying over the whole thing if he was going to bring it up when he wasn't feeling very well to begin with – and that she wasn't quite ready to listen to the idea with an open mind. Not with him having spent the evening at Death's door. Even though her _mind_ told her that it hadn't been _that_ serious, her _heart_ was telling her to put him in bubble wrap and keep him home from the competition completely.

"Yes."

"I was thinking that it might be fun if I could drive up to it, myself – with _Ned_, I mean – and not on the bus with the team."

"That's a long way, Peter," she said, glancing at Tony, who kept his expression neutral.

"Only three hours."

_His_ expression was anything but neutral. He was watching her, hopefully, his tired eyes trying to convince her that he was absolutely capable of driving across the United States without mishap. _He_ was only asking for half-way across the state of New York. She was crumbling before he even finished the short sentence and had to force herself to step back – _figuratively_, anyway.

"We'll have to talk about it," she temporized. "But not while your breakfast is getting cold. Eat and then get some rest."

"But you're not saying no?" he asked her.

Again with the big, tired, eyes that seemed to be determined to melt her defenses and turn them into goo right in front of him. He couldn't be doing it on purpose, she decided, but it didn't matter – even if he was, because she was caught in that hopeful look like a deer in headlights.

"I'm not saying no," she agreed. "But I'm not saying _yes_, either," she said, holding up a hand when he smiled, excitedly. "You're going to eat your breakfast, and then get some sleep and we'll see how you feel. Then, when you're up to it –" and she'd had a chance to steel herself against his heartbreakingly adorable excitement – "You can give us your pros and cons list about driving yourself to the competition and we can discuss it. Fair?"

Peter nodded.

"Eat," Tony told him, speaking up for the first time since the topic was broached. "We're going to go take care of a couple scheduling items, and then we'll be back to check on you."

The boy did what he was told and turned his attention to his oatmeal, and Pepper slid off the bed, meeting Tony at the door when he did the same. She'd already called her assistant to let him know she wasn't coming in, but with her laptop, she could take care of some things while Peter napped after his breakfast.

With a smile, Stark took her hand and they closed the door to Peter's quarters behind them as they entered the corridor.

"That was pretty _smooth_," he said with an amused smile.

He hadn't missed the wavering in her expression.

She shook her head, amused but annoyed with herself at the same time.

"He'd better have a pretty good pros list," Pepper said. "My con list gets longer and longer."

"I'm sure he's working on it even while he's eating."

She was sure of it, too.


	9. Chapter 9

The oatmeal stayed down.

Peter didn't eat all of it, telling both Pepper and Tony that he felt somewhat full once he'd finished two-thirds of the bowl. It was fairly obvious that he was hesitant to trust his stomach to more than what felt comfortable and neither of them were going to force the issue. Besides, the boy was clearly falling asleep in the middle of the meal, his eyelids drooping and his head hanging lower and lower with each bite.

Tony finally took the spoon from him and pulled the tray, setting it aside and easing Peter carefully into a prone position to try and avoid any sudden moves that might trigger an upheaval of oatmeal.

"Are you leaving?" Peter asked, sleepily, as Stark covered him.

"One of us will be with you," Tony promised, brushing his palm against Peter's cheek when the boy settled on his side, still finding the somewhat fetal position that told them without question that he wasn't feeling very well, yet. "And Karen can always find us if you need anything."

"Okay."

Pepper settled in his bed, telling him silently that she was going to be the first to stay with him. She made certain to be on the side that he was facing, so she could see his face, and so that whenever he opened his eyes, he'd see her. Peter took it a little further than that, however, and a hand came out from under his blanket to rest on her leg, which was the only place he could reach, comfortably.

Then he closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep.

OOOOOO

"You're not _really_ considering allowing him to drive himself to this competition, are you?" Natasha asked.

"We haven't had a chance to discuss it with him, yet, but we haven't said no," Stark replied.

They were sitting in a conference room, going over a request from a special forces general for some Avenger backup on a training group and Tony had mentioned Peter's idea to the others, offhand.

"He can't drive himself to Syracuse," Romanoff said.

"Not just him," Stark corrected. "Ned would go, as well."

"Sounds like they want to spread their wings a little," Clint said, smiling. "Not really a shock, is it?"

"He's only _sixteen_," Natasha pointed out, clearly not enamored of the idea. "And barely that..."

"What were _you_ doing at sixteen, Nat?" Barton asked.

"That's different," she said with a scowl. "My upbringing was nothing like his."

"He's a responsible kid," Clint said. "Good grades, no crazy bad habits - unless you count trying to help people in trouble as a bad habit."

"What if someone made a play at him?" Steve asked. "We wouldn't be there to back him up."

"We wouldn't be in Syracuse, anyway," Tony reminded them. "We have instant access to him if we need it, though. With the GPS spell, If something like that happened, Stephen would have us there almost immediately."

"Besides, Peter's not going to get grabbed," Clint added. "That's the whole point in training him to take care of himself, to be aware of his surroundings and to listen to those spider senses of his, right?"

"Yeah." Tony shrugged. "Like I said; we haven't agreed, yet. We're just waiting until he feels better to discuss it."

"You could have Happy drive them…" Natasha suggested.

"Might as well go on the _bus_," Steve said. "It's not a road trip if there's an adult along."

Clint nodded his agreement.

Obviously, his Avengers were just as divided as he was about the whole thing – and for the same reasons, really. He listened to them, knowing that they were making good points for both sides, but by the time he was ready to leave to go check on his boy, he still wasn't leaning one way or the other.

OOOOOOO

He smiled when he returned to Peter's room. Pepper was right where he'd left her; on Peter's bed, with her laptop out, using it to access some reports that she wanted to read. And forced to do it one-handed. Peter had shifted in his sleep, apparently, and now had his head in her lap instead of on the pillows, and the hand that had been on her leg was now curled around the arm that was closest to his sleeping form.

It was limiting her movement, obviously, but she didn't seem in any hurry to move him.

"Everything alright?" she asked, watching as he went to the other side of the boy's bed and stretched out next to him.

"Yeah. The others are talking about a training group in South Carolina that wants to have drills with the Avengers – to test their boots' resolve and temperance."

"Oh?"

He shrugged and rolled onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow so he could watch her.

"They'll probably go down for a few days next month. We'll see. Steve and Nick coordinate that sort of thing."

"Because you're too lazy to," she accused.

"Yeah." He wasn't above admitting that. "Ready for a break?"

She looked down at the boy cuddled against her and shook her head.

"No. I'm comfortable and so is he. Do you want to hold him, though?"

Pepper knew that he did enjoy the times when he had the opportunity to cuddle Peter – and there probably wouldn't be all that many left. Tony shook his head and put his head down on the pillows Peter wasn't using, now, and closed his eyes with a contented smile.

"No, momma. _You_ play pillow. I'm going to take a cue from your son and take a nap."

OOOOOOO

Pepper let them both sleep until lunchtime, and then she woke them up to eat. Peter said he felt better once he'd been upright for a few minutes and was able to get his bearings after sleeping all morning, and Tony looked refreshed, as well. Of course, he'd been worried the night before and had been up late, watching Peter sleep and worried about him relapsing further, so he needed the rest.

They let him choose what they had for lunch – as long as it was within Strange's edict of soup and not spicy – and he opted for chicken noodle. Pepper needed a chance to stretch her legs by then and volunteered to fetch lunch, while Tony and Peter woke up a little more and Tony grilled the boy on how he was feeling and what was his stomach doing, just then. He was assuring Tony that he felt pretty good when Pepper left, and was still doing it when she returned pushing a cart that had a large pot of soup, some rolls and a coffee pot – and all the paraphernalia needed for an in-bed picnic.

More than she'd wanted to try to carry.

"Let's talk about this competition thing," she said, once they had finished eating and she was satisfied that he hadn't taken any harm from the meal.

Peter nodded, pulling the tray off his lap and setting it aside, obviously readying himself for any argument that he could make to get permission to go.

"Sure."

"Does the school even allow students to drive themselves?" she asked. "I assume that you guys looked into it before bringing the idea up."

"Ned looked it up and talked to the admins. There are waivers and permission slips that you guys would have to fill out. We can't have separate rooms at the hotel or anything," he added. "We can drive up, but then we're restricted to doing the activities with the team. Same meals, whatever rooms we're assigned – although we get to request roommates and Ned and I always get each other – and free time during the downtimes between the breaks in the competition, like usual."

"And you're not allowed to go driving around during those breaks?" Tony asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I wouldn't go driving around – no real reason to. When we get there, I'd park the car at the hotel and it would stay parked until we drove home on Sunday."

"And if someone said, 'hey, let's just head to the mall for a little while, since Peter has a car so conveniently located right outside'?" Pepper asked.

"I wouldn't do that."

"Not even if it were MJ who asked?"

Peter hesitated, and then shook his head.

"No. If I tell you that I won't, then I _won't_. I promise. I know you guys are worried about the whole idea of me driving there, but I'll do whatever it takes to make you feel more comfortable about letting me do it."

"I don't like the idea of you being on your own for so long…"

"I spend longer in the city as Spiderman, sometimes," the boy reminded them. "And I'm pretty _responsible_, too. I've never given either of you a reason not to trust me."

Which they both had to admit was true. And a good argument for him to make.

"It's pretty far," Tony said.

"Not really. We'd leave after 5th period and would be driving in the daylight the entire time. No night-driving, and we'd miss all the rush-hour times, as well. Coming home, it'd be Sunday, and traffic is generally pretty light on the weekend."

He knew; he drove a lot on the weekends – with Ned and without.

"And if someone makes a play for you? Tries to kidnap you?"

"They could do that if I was on the _bus_, too," Peter pointed out.

"But if it _happened_?" Pepper pressed – she hadn't even thought about that scenario. "Then what?"

"You've had Happy teaching me defensive driving, right? I call for help and try to get away, if I can. If I can't, we find a place to hole up and wait for help to come – which is what I'd have to do on the bus, too."

"If you drive there, you don't take the Pontiac," Tony added.

"Why not?"

"Because the Lamborghini has _Friday_ integrated in it, and the Pontiac doesn't have an AI. If something came up, I'd be alerted, immediately."

And it only had two seats. No chance of some miserable looking hitch-hiker convincing the boys to give them a ride, only to turn out to be a serial killer or something.

Pepper clearly preferred that, as well. They hadn't put Karen into the Pontiac, yet. Peter didn't mention that it probably wouldn't take long to add his AI to his car, instead of using _Tony's_. He just nodded.

"That's fair."

Stark looked over at Pepper, aware that she would have her own requirements. He wasn't wrong.

"Pepper?"

"No one else gets in the car. Not MJ, not someone who just wants to check it out. No one."

"Yeah. No."

"You don't put anything about driving yourself on any social media – you or Ned. That way no one knows you'll be out there, on your own."

Which was almost Peter's downfall when she started thinking about him being out on the road all alone, with only Ned as backup in case something went wrong. A million different things went through her mind all at once; things that could happen to a lonely driver on a back road. A young teenager. A new driver, at that. Someone who didn't have the experience with the worst that people could do. Who wasn't as good at seeing the bad in others and watching out for them to do that bad. She-

"I'll let Ned know," Peter agreed, breaking into her worried musing.

She frowned and looked over at Tony, who looked uncertain. Which wasn't an expression that he wore very well.

"What do you think?"

Peter held his breath, his own hopeful expression switching from one to the other and then back, again, coming to rest on Tony, begging him silently to just say yes and give him a chance to prove that he could be trusted to go somewhere without a guardian. Stark found that he couldn't say no. The boy was everything to him, and even though that meant that he wanted to hold him close and put him under his wing to protect him, what it _really_ meant was that he would rather cut his own arm off than disappoint him or make him think that he didn't trust him.

Besides, Natasha had told him a long time ago that Peter was going to have to be allowed to do dumb things – because if he didn't let him, it'd destroy him. And Tony knew it was right. This wasn't even _dumb_. It was just _scary_. For Tony, anyway.

"Fine."

Peter whooped with unbridled joy and happiness, knocking over Tony's tray when he hugged him.

"Thank you," the boy murmured against his chest, so softly that Stark wasn't completely sure that heard him say anything.

Tony just held him close, hoping that he wasn't going to have any reason to regret it. He hugged Peter, tightly, for a long moment, and then the boy let him go to hug Pepper as well, and she met Tony's gaze as she found herself engulfed in a bearhug. He shrugged, shaking his head and smiling, wryly, and made a silent gesture toward Peter, who was practically radiating cheerfulness, even though he wasn't moving.

"If Ned's mom says no, though, you go on the bus with the others," Pepper said, brushing a kiss against his temple.

"Yeah."

"And Ned comes out tomorrow night so we can go over the car – to make sure you both know how to change a tire if it goes flat, and how to jumpstart it, that kind of thing," Stark added.

Tony already knew that the boy wasn't going to be able to come to the compound that weekend like he normally would have, but he wanted a chance to reassure himself – and Pepper – that no small emergency would turn into a bigger one just because the boys didn't know something basic.

"I'll call him after school gets out."


	10. Chapter 10

"I can't believe they said yes."

"Yeah, me, either. Your mom said yes?"

"Once she heard that Pepper and Tony agreed to it, she allowed my big brown eyes to work their magic and convince her that everything was hunky dorey. She filled out all the papers and I turned them in this morning."

"I printed mine out and gave them to Tony."

"What are you guys doing?"

They turned from their conversation to see MJ joining them at the lunch table.

"Talking about the competition coming up."

"Are you ready, Peter?" MJ asked, sitting across from him, looking at him, intently. "You're not still sick?"

He blushed, and shook his head.

"No. I'm good. It was just something I ate. The doctor let me come to school, right?"

"Peter and I put in a request to drive to the competition," Ned told MJ with a smug grin.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"In the Pontiac?"

"No. Tony wants me to take the Lamborghini."

"Poor you," she said, rolling her eyes.

"In case something happens," Ned explained. "Mr. Stark's AI is integrated into the Lambo, so he'll know immediately."

"What? Like a flat tire?"

Ned rolled his eyes.

"Or a _kidnapping attempt_," he said. "Everyone knows Mr. Stark's worth billions, and Peter means a lot to him."

Her expression softened, and then grew a little concerned. Not the same kind of concern as when she'd asked about him being sick, but now she looked a little worried, too.

"Is that a possibility?" she asked Peter.

"He's been kidnapped once, already," Ned pointed out – not bringing up the magician attack, which he knew wasn't something to be discussed with MJ. "Of course, those guys are _dead_, and the lesson's probably learned, but Mr. Stark can't risk-"

"Shut up, Ned," Peter told him, interrupting. "It's not something we need to talk about."

"What? Oh. Okay."

"Could it happen?" MJ asked.

"What? No. Like Ned said, they tried and it went bad. No one else will try it. Don't worry."

She didn't look convinced, and Peter had to admit that he rather liked the fact that she seemed worried about him. That meant she _liked_ him, right? Couldn't be worried about someone if there weren't feelings. Down deep, somewhere, anyway.

"I'm going to the compound tonight," Ned told her, smugly.

"Why? It's a school night."

"Tony wants to make sure we know how to change a tire if one goes flat, or how to jump start the car if the battery dies, that kind of thing. It's a stipulation for letting us drive there, instead of taking the bus."

"And he doesn't want it on Facebook or anything that Peter isn't going on the bus," Ned added. "So don't post it, okay?"

"Why would I?"

"Just don't."

She shrugged.

"Whatever."

"Thanks," Peter said.

OOOOOOO

"You're going to pick up Peter and Ned?"

"Yes. By the time you get home and we are ready to eat, Steve and I will have made sure both boys know all that they need to know about all of the common minor emergencies that can happen during a road trip."

"Good." She sighed into the phone. "I can't believe we said yes to him."

"It was the right call, Pep," Tony assured her, wishing he could hug her and take away the worried look he could see on her face – even if he couldn't see her face. "They'll be fine. They're both good kids; smart and responsible."

"And _sixteen_."

"They can't do anything about that."

She sighed, again.

"I know. I love you."

He smiled, even though she couldn't see it.

"I love you, too, honey. We'll see you around dinnertime."

OOOOOOOO

Tony was used to having people stare at him. Truth be told, he liked it. Maybe not as much as he had when he'd been selfish and self-centered like before, but he was a showman born and he did love to be the center of attention when it suited him.

Standing by the car waiting for Peter and Ned to get out of school, he knew he was drawing attention, but for a change, he was pretty sure that he wasn't the reason people driving by would turn their heads and take a closer look. And he smiled, because the Pontiac was gleaming red and chrome in the afternoon sun – it better, since he and Peter had washed it, by hand, the weekend before – and he knew as well as Peter that it was a beautiful car.

He couldn't wait for the boy to make an appearance and notice that he'd surprised him by driving it to collect him and Ned, rather than one of the sedans. _He'd_ smile and _Ned_ would smile, and he'd stammer out something excited.

Tony loved to see Peter smile. It was probably because there had been so many reasons for him not to smile in his life – both before Tony had met him and after. As he leaned against the passenger side of the Pontiac, sliding his hand along the smooth, red, hood of the car, he was glad that he'd said yes to the road trip, even though it made him nervous as hell to let him do it, because it was _another_ reason for Peter to smile.

The sudden surge of teens being spewed out of the school entrances drew him from his musings and he straightened up a little, watching as he became the recipient of a whole new round of approving stares and whistles. Well, the Pontiac, did, anyway – although he _was_ glad that he had his sunglasses on so a couple of the less subtle girls couldn't see him rolling his eyes and the glances that they gave him.

"Mr. Stark!"

Ned showed up, first, grinning excitedly and beaming. Both at the fact that it was Tony Stark picking him up from school, and because he'd brought Peter's car.

"Hey Ned. How was school?"

"Good. Peter's coming." The boy rolled his eyes. "He stopped to talk to MJ."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, she wanted to ask him what he was working on for the competition. This one will probably be more of a math and literature focus, but just in case, she wants him sharp on the physics – which he _is_, already."

Ned put his bag in the backseat of Peter's car, but then stood with Tony chatting while they waited for Peter – who came trotting up to the car with a wide smile on his face. Whether from the surprise of Tony bringing his car to pick him up, or because he'd been talking to MJ, Stark didn't know – and he didn't care.

"Had a good day?"

Peter nodded, running his hand along the hood of the car, too.

"Yeah. It was great."

"How's MJ?"

That produced the expected blush.

"MJ? Oh. Yeah, you know. She's good. Fine, even. She um… I was just talking to her about the competition."

Stark smiled, slapping the boy's shoulder.

"Get in. I'll let you drive when we get out of the city."

Tony quizzed them about their day as he drove out of the city, and by the time he pulled over at the gas station that they usually used for switching drivers, he had heard reference to the road trip a good dozen times – and the competition even more than that. Ned and Peter were both excited by the upcoming trip, and Tony was pretty sure that it wasn't just because of the fact that they were driving themselves there. He gathered that the boys were looking forward to being away for the weekend with their friends and competing against other teens.

When Peter got behind the wheel and turned them back onto the highway heading for the compound, Stark took control of the conversation, letting them both know what he was going to show them that evening.

"The main objective," he said, looking at Peter and then over his shoulder at Ned. "Is to make sure that you guys don't get stranded by something little. You both know the saying that the big things are made out of little things, right? We don't want any big things – so we'll make sure that there aren't any little things that you can't handle."

"Makes sense," Ned agreed.

Peter nodded.

"If something big _does_ come up, though," Tony said. "Call me. If it's something I can walk you through, then that's what we'll do. If not, we'll do whatever we need to do to get you through it."

"Okay."

"Pepper's nervous about this trip, guys. Your job is going to be to keep her from freaking out, got it?"

"Yeah."

Peter nodded, again.

"Stick together. Watch each others' backs. You do that, anyway, so I'm not too worried."

"Since we were little kids," Ned agreed from the backseat. "Like the _transfusion_ thing, right Peter?"

"Yeah."

Stark frowned.

"What transfusion thing?"

"It's nothing," Peter said, quickly. "Just something that happened a long time ago."

"You haven't heard that story?" Ned asked, surprised. "I mean, I know _Peter_ wouldn't have told it, but I'm surprised that May…" he trailed off for just a moment, but then shook his head. "It's a pretty cool-"

"Ned. He doesn't want to hear it," Peter interrupted, his expression embarrassed and a slow red flush starting on his neck and face. "It's stupid."

Tony _did_ want to hear it. Obviously. But he didn't want Peter upset – especially behind the wheel. He turned toward the boy in the backseat and winked and changed the subject back to the trip.

"I don't need to tell you not stop for hitchhikers, right?"

"No. Yeah, we won't," Peter said.

"And if you see someone stranded on the side of the road, you just have Friday call the police. You don't get out of the car."

"Classic kidnapping scenario, right?" Ned asked.

"Possibly. You never know Better to be safe, though, than make us sorry."

"Right." Ned grinned. "My mom says she's not worried about anyone kidnapping me. Instead of a ransom note, she figures they'd just set me on the front steps an hour after grabbing me because they'd be exhausted from having to put up with me."

Stark smiled at that – and privately agreed with Ned's mom. But the thought of easy money would make some people make the effort.

"Let's not test it, okay guys?"

"Yeah."

Peter nodded his agreement. Again.


	11. Chapter 11

"Welcome to basics 102," Tony said, spreading his arms in a grand gesture as the Lamborghini pulled up behind him and came to a stop between him and Steve Rogers.

Peter, who was standing in front of him with Ned, frowned.

"What was basics _101_?"

"Putting gas in the car and learning to _drive_ it."

"Oh."

Ned grinned, and both boys stepped forward at Steve's gesture.

"We'll go from front to back and show you what you need to know," he said. "Most of them are pretty easy, but only if you know what to do – so pay attention."

Tag-teaming, Steve and Tony used the Pontiac to show the boys how to jumpstart the battery in the Lamborghini. Then they showed them how to push start it using second gear.

"Last resort, only," Tony told them. "Peter's strong enough to get it moving easily enough – and you can use a hill if you have one – but just use the cables if you can. It's easier and safer."

"Okay."

They were showed the window washer fluid reserves – which was then topped off – and then the oil was checked along with the other fluids. Better to get all of the basic maintenance taken care of while they had the time, rather than rush to do it later. They checked the windshield wipers, which were new, and then worked their way back and Tony made sure they knew where to find the spare tire and then had Steve change the rear passenger side – just to show them how it was done – and had the boys reverse the change to demonstrate that they understood the lesson.

"Questions?" Stark asked when they were finished, and he was wiping his hands with a towel.

Peter shook his head, looking over at Ned, who hadn't been able to stop smiling the entire afternoon. Ironman and Captain America… teaching him how to change a tire? He was excited, despite the fact that most of the time he was a lot less star struck than he once had been. He spent a lot of time with both men, after all.

Not as much as Peter, but more than anyone else at his school, he knew.

"What if we get in an accident?" Peter asked. "I'm not saying that we _will_, but just in case? Just exchange information with the other driver like we did in Seattle?"

All three times that he'd rolled backward into the cars behind him.

"No. Get off the road if you can and stay in the car until a police officer comes. Then do whatever she or he tells you to do. Of course, Friday will let me know if that happens, too, and we'll determine then if you should do anything differently."

"Okay."

"Good question, though," Steve said.

Peter smiled, and Tony looked at his watch.

"Pepper should be here, soon. Put the cars away, guys, and find something to occupy yourselves until then."

"Natasha and Clint are running some drills on the field," Steve suggested with a smile.

Ned perked up, immediately, which was why Romanoff had been banned from the lesson in the first place. Tony didn't want Ned distracted by his crush on the assassin. Plenty of time to moon over her, later.

"We could go watch, I suppose," the boy said, casually, realizing that he might have looked a little too eager.

Stark wasn't the only one to smile, but he tossed Ned the keys to the Lamborghini, assuming the boy would park that one, while Peter took care of the Pontiac.

"Thanks, guys," Peter said, sincerely, to Steve and Tony.

"You're welcome. Make sure you let Pepper know everything that you've learned today, okay? We want to keep her blood pressure down, if we can."

"We will," Ned assured him, getting behind the wheel.

OOOOOOOO

They watched the drills for about half an hour. Really, Peter watched the _drills_, but Ned just watched _Natasha_ – who noticed them immediately, of course, but had to wait until her trainees knew what she expected of them before she could walk over to the edge of the field and join the boys. She smiled at Ned, well aware of his infatuation, and brushed her hand along Peter's arm in greeting.

"Lesson done?"

"Yeah," Ned told her. "Ask us anything about basic car maintenance."

"Gas or diesel?"

Peter smiled.

"Low blow, Natasha…"

He'd thought to surprise Pepper one weekend and had taken her brand-new Audi out to fill it before the Monday morning commute. Only, he'd filled the diesel tank with premium unleaded gasoline. Which had certainly _surprised_ her. And Tony.

Romanoff hugged him, pleased with herself to have teased him, and feeling cheerful – despite her own misgivings about Tony and Pepper letting Peter take the road trip.

"Just asking for a friend," she told him, impishly.

They only had a few minutes to talk before Peter's watch chimed.

"_Pepper's coming,"_ Tony's voice told him. _"If you want to meet her, I'm heading for the garage, now."_

"Be right there." He put his hand down and shook his head. "See you at dinner?"

"Nope. It's date night. I'm having dinner with Stephen, tonight."

"Lucky guy."

She smiled, because she knew he was being sincere and didn't even realize what a compliment it was to her when he said it. Romanoff made a scene of squishing his cheeks and then planted a kiss on his mouth.

"You had your chance, remember?"

Peter grinned.

"Have fun."

"We will."

"And don't stay out past curfew," he added as she headed back to her drills and Peter and Ned turned toward the garage.

She waved to show him that she heard, but didn't reply.

"Does she really have a _curfew_?"

"Of course not. _I'm_ the only one in the compound with one – and that includes the new recruits."

OOOOOOO

Pepper smiled when she and Happy pulled into the garage. Not just Tony, but Peter and Ned were both waiting for her, as well, making her favorite time of day that much more cheerful. The boys hung back, giving Tony a chance to kiss her and take her bag, but then she hugged Peter, as well as _Ned_, always happy to see the boy.

"Did you have a good day?" Tony asked her, closing the car door behind her and smiling a greeting to Happy.

"I did, yes." Her arm went around Stark, but she looked at Peter and Ned. "Did you learn anything this afternoon?"

"_Everything_," Ned told her, confidently. "Nothing is going to happen, but if it _does_, Peter and I could fix it, now."

"I'm glad to hear that. Peter?"

He nodded his agreement.

"Yeah. We're set, Pepper. _Really_."

"Good. Ned? Dinner with us, and then Happy will take you home, okay?"

"Thanks."

"Meet in the lounge in 15 minutes, guys," Tony said when they reached the garage exit.

The two boys just headed directly to the lounge. They didn't have time for a video game or a movie, obviously, and no sense in starting one.

"They seem confident," she noted, sliding her arm around him. "How do _you_ feel about it?"

"They're as set as we can make them."

"Good."

Once they reached their quarters, she changed into casual clothing and put her hair into a ponytail before she and Tony went to join the boys.

Not surprisingly, they were in the corner at the usual table, building houses out of playing cards while they waited. Stark let Pepper go long enough to head to the bar to order dinner for the four of them, and then seated himself across from Ned.

"Peter? I forgot my tablet in my workroom – on the desk. Would you mind getting it for me?"

"No."

The boy stood up, but Pepper frowned.

"You need it, now?"

"It's pretty important, Pep."

"I don't mind getting it," Peter assured her with a smile. "I'll be right back."

"No rush." Tony waited until the boy had left the lounge and then turned his attention to Ned. "Okay, tell me the transfusion story."

"What?" Pepper asked, noting the surprise and amusement in Ned's expression. "What story?"

"I probably shouldn't," Ned said. "It embarrasses Peter – although it shouldn't. I _really_ thought that you'd heard it, before."

"I haven't. I won't tell him you said anything."

"What story is this?"

"Ned was assuring me on the way home that the boys have each other's backs. Then he referenced a story about a transfusion, but I haven't heard it – and Peter didn't want him to tell it. Which makes me want to hear it more, of course."

"What is it?"

Ned hesitated.

"Don't make me have Natasha ask you…" Tony threatened.

The boy rolled huis eyes.

"Fine. But you didn't hear it from me."

"Okay."

"So when I was 7, I got anemic and the doctor said I needed a blood transfusion to set me straight. My mom doesn't have my blood type, so they matched May and Peter, because she didn't want to use a stranger's blood. Peter matched, so May asked him if he would be willing to donate blood for my transfusion."

"That makes sense," Pepper said.

Ned nodded.

"She probably should have done a better job of explaining it, though," he said. "We were at the hospital and the doctor was getting ready to take him and May back, and he was really scared. I remember that part, because I remember that it made _me_ scared, too, even though we were both told it would only hurt a little bit."

"Poor babies…"

The boy rolled his eyes, amused.

"So Peter comes over to me and says _goodbye_. And hugged me. And said he'd miss me. and then May tells him that he'll see me, again, soon, and then he just starts bawling."

"Why?" Tony asked, curiously.

He knew Peter had stood up to a runaway mechanized drone at the Expo only a year or two older than that. Maybe it was the idea of a needle?

Ned looked toward the door, clearly making sure that Peter hadn't returned.

"He thought that the transfusion meant that he was going to give me _all_ his blood – not just a little bit. Nobody told him that he'd make more to replace what he gave me and that he'd be okay. He _really_ expected to die, donating his blood to me to make me get better."

"Oh…" Pepper's eyes filled with tears before she could help herself, and she reached for a tissue. "That's so amazing…"

Ned rolled his eyes, again, but his expression was one that neither of them had seen before.

"Yeah. So he's _always_ had my back, you see? Even when we were little and dumb. And I'd never let _him_ down, either. You can trust us on this trip, Pepper. We're going to take care of each other. I promise."

She nodded, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose before sniffing.

"Thank you for that, Ned."

"You didn't hear it from me," he reminded her. "Like I said, it embarrasses him because he feels dumb for not knowing how blood transfusions work."

"We won't tell him where we heard it," Stark promised, just as Peter came trotting through the door, with the tablet in his hand.

But they couldn't help giving Peter odd looks every now and then as they ate, and he'd respond with a puzzled look of his own, asking if they were all right. Ned just kept his mouth shut and focused on his meal.


	12. Chapter 12

"Friday said he's in his rooms, so I thought I'd see if he wanted to…"

Tony trailed off, standing at the open door to Peter's quarters. Beside him, Stephen Strange just shook his head.

"That's _uncanny_."

"Says the magician who can summon up lunch with a thought."

Both men were watching the ceiling of Peter's living room, where the boy was crouched next to the light fixture, his back to them and his feet firmly attached the ceiling. Peter turned his head, looking sideways over his shoulder and down toward his door.

"Hey."

"What are you doing?" Stark asked, curiously.

"Tell me you didn't see a _spider_…" Strange said, smiling up at him.

"No." he frowned, looking around. "Wait… did _you_?"

"No."

"I'm pulling a bulb," Peter explained, holding one of the lightbulbs that he'd taken out of the fixture. "It's pretty bright in here, sometimes, and I finally decided to do something about it."

With his enhanced eyesight, it was easy for things to be too bright, and simply asking Karen to turn down the lights didn't always work.

"Come down," Tony said.

The two watched as he simply dropped, flipping himself upright at the last moment like the world's largest and most graceful cat, to land easily on his feet.

"What's up?"

"Do you have any plans for today?"

"I thought I'd see if Pepper wanted to spend time with me," the boy answered. "You know, since I'll be gone next weekend."

"She wants to spend time with you _tonight_," Stark said. "But has sent me to see if you'd like to do something with _me_, today – since you're going to be gone, next weekend."

Peter smiled, looking at Strange, as well.

Both men were dressed in jeans and sweatshirts.

"_All_ of us?"

"If you're interested," the sorcerer supreme said. "Natasha is gone, and we're not doing much at the sanctum right now."

"Yeah, sure. Anything in mind?"

"_I_ thought we'd see if there are any fish in the river," Tony suggested.

So much water so close at hand, and they actually hadn't yet thought to try fishing right from the banks outside their own back door – so to speak. Since it was Saturday morning, and Pepper was doing a conference meeting with some folks overseas who had crazier schedules than even what hers used to be, he thought it was a good time to check it out.

"It's _raining_."

"You've fished in the rain before."

He looked at Tony, suspiciously.

"We're not going to _eat_ them, though, right?"

The billionaire rolled his eyes, ignoring Strange's amused snort of laughter.

"No. Like _always_, we will photograph proof of our catch and release them back to their families."

"Sounds like fun."

"Grab your jacket."

They stood in his living room, waiting while he went into his bedroom and grabbed a sweatshirt with a hood and then a waterproof jacket to put on over it. As hard as it was coming down, it wasn't going to keep him from getting wet, but it would at least keep him warm. And Tony wanted to do something a little more active than play chess – even if it meant getting wet doing it.

"Did Natasha tell you where she was going?" Tony asked, softly.

"Yes. Does Peter know?"

The doctor's reply was equally quiet.

"Doubtful. She's not staying – she and Steve are just checking things out before next Friday. In case something comes up."

"She isn't planning on lurking there, next weekend? Just to keep an eye on things?"

Stark smiled and shook his head.

"She couldn't if she wanted to. Peter can sense when she's nearby. Besides, we don't want him to think that we don't trust him – because once we said yes, we basically told him that we _do_. And we _do_ trust him."

"But since Natasha trusts him and doesn't trust the _rest of the world_, she's just up there to get an idea of the lay of the place…"

"Exactly. She'll be back tonight and they will give us a full report sometime this upcoming week."

Before Strange could reply, Peter was back in the living room, ready to go.

"Ready."

Stark smiled, enjoying the look of eager anticipation on the boy's face and forcing himself not to pull him into a hug right then and there for no other reason than because he wanted to. Instead, he just shrugged.

"Let's go see what we can find out."

OOOOOOOO

As it turned out, there _were_ fish in the river, and they were hungry enough to be tricked into thinking the bright orange goo on the end of the hook was well worth getting caught for.

The three of them were on the bank with the rain pounding down on them – even though each had a stand-alone umbrella to shelter under when they were waiting for a nibble or a bite. It was the times _between_ that – when they were casting, or reeling in their lines – that they were out in the rain to accomplish those actions.

When one of them – and it was Strange who was having the most success that morning – caught a fish, one of the others would go over to take photographic proof of the catch, before the wriggling creature was carefully taken off the hook and sent back into the water. Hopefully to be caught, again.

After about three hours of this activity, all three were soaked, but didn't mind.

A splash of bright color in an otherwise gloomy day marked the arrival of Pepper, wearing a yellow rain coat and holding an umbrella. She waved at Peter and at Stephen as she walked over to join Tony, who was standing under his umbrella, intently watching his line.

"Any luck?" she asked, closing her umbrella once she was safely under his.

"Fair," he replied, presenting her a cheek for a kiss since he didn't want to turn his attention from the line. "How was your call?"

"Productive." She kissed him, and then brought her hand up to his cheek. "You're getting _chilled_."

"Yeah. It's not warm out here."

"Then why are you out here?"

"Because this is where the _fish_ are, honey."

She rolled her eyes and started to say something when Peter gave an excited whoop, drawing their attention his direction. The boy had walked out from under his umbrella and was reeling in his line, excitedly.

"He's got one," Tony told her, beginning to reel in his own. "That's his 4th."

Pepper opened her umbrella, again, and walked over to watch. Fishing was something that she'd done a lot of as a child, and almost never did, any more – aside from a deep-sea adventure a while back. The excitement in Peter's expression reminded her just how much fun it was to feel a fish on the other end of a fishing pole.

"Is it a monster?" she asked him, holding her umbrella over both of them.

"Probably not," he admitted, cheerfully. "I just want it to be bigger than the last one."

She was joined a moment later by Tony – and Strange, who had decided that he was wet enough and was ready to call it a morning, even though he'd had a very good time. They all huddled under Pepper's umbrella and watched as Peter reeled in a very small fish, grinned and held it up for a photo op with it, and then slipped the hook almost expertly out of its lip and set it back into the water.

"Smallest fish of the day."

"But the one with the most _potential_," Peter told them, philosophically, which made Pepper smile.

"Are you guys ready for lunch?"

They all looked at Peter. Both men had reeled in their lines and were done for the morning, but were willing to keep him company if he wanted to stay out a little longer. He recognized that, and appreciated it, but nodded and attached his hook to the reel of his pole to keep it from swinging around as they walked.

"Yeah."

The large umbrellas vanished, to be replaced by ones that were easier to carry – like Pepper's – and the four of them turned back toward the compound. It wasn't a long walk, and the moment they crossed under a protective overhang, Strange's umbrella vanished and he was once more dressed in dry clothes; jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt – which was as casual as he got, usually. Pepper smiled, and closed her umbrella after shaking it out, and turned to the other two, who were now dripping rain water.

"We will meet you in the lounge. Go change – and take a shower."

Not only would it warm them up to make sure they didn't catch a chill, but they both smelled like the fish they'd been catching and the bait that they'd been using.

Peter and Tony both nodded and headed off, leaving Pepper with Stephen, who offered her his arm.

"What's for lunch?" he asked.

"Think they'd get the irony if I ordered fish?"

He smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

It was fairly late – well after dinner – by the time Natasha and Steve Rogers walked into the lounge. The place wasn't very busy; it was a Saturday night, yes, but most of them were out having fun in the city or off attending to their own amusements. The crowd that _was_ in the room was fairly quiet. Most were small groups – usually two or three – sitting around a table having a drink or two and discussing plans for the next day, or even more rarely, work the next Monday.

The two newcomers found the group they were looking for at the corner table playing Scrabble. Tony was in the right position to see them arrive and walk over, and his distracted gaze drew Pepper's attention, as well. Peter felt them coming, but didn't look up right away since it was his turn and he was trying to figure out a good word to make when he had a handful of Es and Is and a Q.

"You're back?" Stark asked, redundantly, as Romanoff wrapped her arms around Peter from behind, pressing a kiss against his cheek and looking at the letters on his wooden tray.

"Good luck with _that_," she murmured, making the boy smile.

"Still raining?"

Steve nodded.

"_Buckets_."

"Find anything interesting?" Pepper asked.

"We'll tell you later," he said, evasively. "I'll want to review my notes.

"Stephen went home?" Natasha asked.

"He fished with Peter and Tony this morning, and then had lunch. Then said he had a few things to check on, and left."

"Did you fish off the bank?" Steve asked, curiously.

"Yeah," Peter replied, grinning. "Caught a lot of fish, too."

"What kind?"

"No clue," Tony told him, watching as Peter made his play, creating the word _Epee_. Which didn't garner him many points but let him search for better letters for his next turn. "We don't _eat_ them, so their lineage isn't that interesting."

Steve smiled, shaking his head.

"Invite me, next time."

"You got it."

"Want to play?" Peter asked. "We can finish this and switch to something else?"

"I'm tired," Natasha told him, giving him another squeeze before letting him go and stretching. "I'm going to take a bath and then go to bed, I think. I'll come to brunch, though, so don't leave without me."

"Yeah, me, too," Steve said. "The bath, the sleep, and brunch, tomorrow."

Clint had taken Jack home with him, so Steve didn't even have his puppy to keep him company that night.

"We'll see you in the morning, then," Stark said.

"Yeah."

Peter turned to watch them leave, since he wasn't focusing on his turn, now.

"I wonder where they went," he said.

Stark smiled at him; a tender smile that made _Pepper_ smile, too.

"Avenger's stuff," he told the boy, mysteriously.

Peter nodded, figuring that it wasn't really any of _his_ business, then. Besides, they were home safe, and that was all that mattered, really. He shrugged and reached into the bag, hoping for better letters than the ones that he'd used.

OOOOOOO

It was a briefing in everything but the name. Held in the living area of Tony and Pepper's quarters, but with a drop-down display being used for showing the copious photographs and graphics that were available. Also, Stephen Strange and Pepper Potts were both in attendance, and neither had ever been an audience for an Avenger's briefing. There had never been a need.

It was Sunday afternoon. Wong had joined them that morning for their normal brunch, and had then made an offhand suggestion that Peter spend the afternoon with him, at the Sanctum. He was doing some cataloguing in the 1st floor library and could use some cheap labor to run the books and scrolls back and forth for him.

Which might sound boring, but it wasn't to _Peter_, and he'd agreed as soon as a glance over to Pepper and Tony told him they didn't mind him abandoning them for a few hours. When they'd returned from brunch, Wong and Peter had jumped to the city, and the others had all headed for their impromptu meeting.

Natasha took control of it, immediately, with Steve standing beside her in case they needed him to add anything that she missed. Not likely, but you never knew.

"We have two different concerns when it comes to this trip," She said. "The first is what route the boys take for the safest and most secure drive – since they're going alone. The second is the very real threat to Peter while he's away at any school function and not being directly covered by one of us."

The group nodded.

"Let's start with the route," Tony suggested.

"We drove to Syracuse using I-86," she told them, showing a map on the display, with the route that they'd taken marked by a red line. "There are a few potential ambush spots, but the road is well-traveled enough that it'd be impossible to not have witnesses. There's one tunnel along the way that interfered slightly with our equipment, but it's seventeen seconds and most likely not an issue. The tunnel doesn't have a breakdown lane, and even if the boys got a flat tire, they could drive on it until they're out of the tunnel and onto a shoulder."

"If you want, we _could_ put someone there," Steve said. "A couple of recruits, tell them they're assigned to watch for potential problems with the tunnel itself – no need to let them know they're watching for the boys, unless something happened."

Stark shrugged.

"I'll think about it."

He didn't want to seem paranoid about Peter's first road trip, but he could appreciate that Natasha and Rogers were being cautious.

"The drive will be about three hours – depending on traffic," Romanoff said. "It took us a bit longer because of the rain yesterday, but visibility was good, despite it."

"And the venue?"

A new group of pictures came up onto the display. This showed the convention center, and a hotel. The convention center was modern, with steel and glass architecture and a fair amount of landscaping, and the hotel appeared to be a decent one – although not fancy by any means. Which wasn't surprising, since it was being used for a high school event.

"The competition is being held on the fourth floor of the convention center. There are several rooms being utilized. The security looks standard – they won't have anything fancy for the competition. Peter's connection to you is well-known by now, but the center has cameras everywhere and it'd take a well-funded group to be able to afford to try to make a play on him."

"We didn't speak to the security people," Steve added. "We didn't want them to know we had any interest in the competition, but we watched them – and they know their stuff."

"You're not expecting a move against Peter, then?" Strange asked.

"No. Not at the competition," Steve said, confidently.

"Anyone capable of making a play on him would know better than to try it, there," Natasha agreed.

"And the hotel?" Pepper asked.

"That's another matter," Natasha said. "The place is decent, but nothing fancy – and not a lot of security. Cameras and a night clerk at the desk. There are three floors of rooms that all open to a courtyard that has a pool they face and walkways along that side. Keycard access to the rooms, safety locks inside them. All the rooms above the first floor have decks – not connecting – on the outer facings and balconies."

"A potential entrance point to Peter's room," Steve said.

"They can be locked," Natasha said. "But _anyone_ could pick them."

"What's your assessment?" Tony asked.

"Threat level? Four. Security? Eight."

"What does that mean?" Pepper asked, uncertainly.

"It means that Natasha thinks there's a forty percent chance someone might make a move on Peter and if someone did there's an 80% chance that they'd be able to get through the security in place to reach him."

"Those numbers are for just random groups or individuals," Steve said. "The numbers change if it's a well-funded or organized group of people. And they _don't_ include the fact that Peter is more than capable of taking care of himself – and Ned, if it came right down to it."

"Right." Romanoff nodded. "It's the whole reason we've been training him in self-defense. Ned's good enough, now, too, that he could probably keep anyone from grabbing him if he had enough notice."

"Which Peter's senses should be able to provide."

"I'm tempted to keep him home," Pepper admitted, looking far more concerned than she had at the beginning of the briefing. "I was only worried about them driving alone. I didn't even think of the lack of security around him at the competition."

"We can't do that," Tony said. "And we can't hover over him, either. The whole idea is to let him have as normal a time as possible, and he can't do that with us there."

"But it would be to keep him _safe_," she said. "Not because we don't _trust_ him."

"We won't be far, if something happens," Tony assured her, glancing at Strange, who nodded.

"All he'd have to do is call, and we'll be there instantly," the doctor said. "Besides, he has the teleportation stone, as well – if needed."

"Not that he'd run and leave Ned," Natasha said – and that was the voice of experience talking. "But he's as prepared as he can be, Pepper."

She didn't look convinced, but she understood what they were telling her – and accepted that she might be worrying more than was necessary, her maternal instincts telling her to hide him away until he was old enough to protect himself. Of course, she knew that that wasn't an exact number, and she might _never_ think he was old enough to protect himself.

And while that was _her_ problem, it wasn't fair to make it Peter's, as well.

She sighed, and nodded.

"But you'll all be available next weekend? Just in case?"

"Absolutely."


	14. Chapter 14

Someone was shaking his shoulder, frantically.

_"Peter!"_

He rolled over, confused, and in the dim light coming from the field spotlight outside of his bedroom window, he saw Pepper leaning over his bed, shaking him.

"Pepper?" he asked, frowning. She was wearing a silk nightgown, but nothing else, and looked like she'd just gotten out of bed. "What's wrong?"

"We need to go, Sweetheart," she whispered. "Come on. _Quietly_. So they don't hear you."

"Who?"

"Come on. I'll explain it to you later."

She pulled his blankets back, and he blushed. All he was wearing was boxers. She didn't seem to notice – or she didn't care.

"Let me get dressed," he said, sitting up.

"There's no _time_, Peter," she said, looking around, clearly worried, and then looking out the window.

"Where's Tony?" he asked, allowing her to pull him out of bed and use the same hold to guide him through his living area and out into the corridor. "Shouldn't he-"

"We'll call him when we get there," Pepper told him. "Quiet, okay? Otherwise they'll hear you."

_"Who?"_

Peter didn't see anyone. He didn't feel anything that told him there was anything dangerous going on around him. No tingle that said anyone was after him.

_"Hurry!"_

She practically ran through the corridor, forcing Peter to jog to keep up. Pepper wasn't constantly sparring with the Avengers or working out in the gym, but she was in good shape and she was a lot faster than Peter had guessed. He realized that they were going to the garage.

Now he _did_ feel a slight tingle of warning as she walked up to the sedan and opened the passenger door for him.

"Pepper…"

"Get in."

"Where are we going?"

His spider senses were screaming at him, and he was sure he didn't want to get in the car – he just couldn't figure out _why_.

"My family's farm."

"Isn't that in Ohio?"

"Yes. Get in the car, Peter. Hurry."

"But-"

_"Now, Peter!"_

He recoiled at the panic in her voice and her expression and opened the car door. Satisfied, Pepper went around and opened the driver's side door and slid in behind the wheel. Peter watched as she looked for her keys, and raised his watch to push the button to call Tony. Something was definitely off, and he didn't understand what was going on.

"What's going on?"

He gave a sigh of relief when he saw Tony had entered the garage, and realized that Friday's protocol to advise Stark when Peter would leave his quarters at night – presumably _sleepwalking_ – would have alerted Tony that something was happening.

"I don't know, Tony."

"Peter?" Stark frowned. "What's-"

"I'm not _sleepwalking_," he said, quickly.

"Close the door, Peter," Pepper ordered, pulling the visor down and making an approving noise when a key fell into her lap. "We need to get going."

"Where are you going?" Tony asked, still at Peter's door, but now talking to Pepper.

"I'm taking him someplace safe," she replied.

"Pep-" he stopped, looking at Peter, who hadn't shut the door. "What's the law of conservation of energy?"

"Energy can be transformed from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed."

"Right." Satisfied that Peter wasn't sleepwalking, he gave him a confused look. "What's going on?"

"I don't _know_," he said, worriedly, as Pepper started the car and his spider senses screamed that this was a problem. "Pepper? Maybe _I_ should drive," he suggested, reaching over to the steering column and turning the key to turn off the ignition.

She turned to him, obviously annoyed with him for interfering.

"You can't drive all the way to Ohio."

"Ohio?" Tony asked, completely confused.

She was certainly acting as odd as Peter normally did when they caught him sleepwalking.

"She said she's taking me to her family farm – to be _safe_."

"Okay. Yeah. Do _not_ give her back the key."

"Okay. What-"

Tony walked around to the driver's side of the car and opened the door.

"Honey, where are you going?"

"I have to take Peter someplace safe, Tony. I just got him. I can't lose him, now."

"You're not going to, Pepper," Stark assured her, caressing her bare shoulder, reassuringly. "He's right here – with _us_. No one can hurt him."

"But when he's gone? At the _hotel_? We won't be there – and he'll be alone. They've grabbed him twice, already – and I'm not going to let them have him, again."

"He's not gone, Pepper," Tony told her, gesturing to Peter to help him. "Come on, let's get him back to bed so he doesn't catch cold."

"_No_. I'm going-"

"I'm pretty _cold_, Pepper," Peter interrupted. "Maybe we could wait and go tomorrow? _Please_?"

She looked over at him, her hand coming out to brush his forehead and slide down to palm his cheek.

"Yeah, sweetheart. Let's get you back to bed." She looked at Stark, and got out of the car. "Tony, let's put him in our bed, tonight. I don't want to lose him."

She headed around the car to Peter's side and waited for him to get out of the car – which he did, and when Tony joined him, Peter handed him the key to the car.

"Looks like you're coming to bed with us," Stark said, softly, putting his arm around Pepper and then guiding her toward the garage door.

"Peter…"

Pepper slowed enough to wait for him, and he looked down at himself.

"I'm not _dressed_, Tony…"

"You're fine," he told him. "Come on, I want to get her to bed. Catch up."

Peter moved up to walk beside Pepper, who put her arm protectively around him, drawing him close to her side as they headed back to their quarters.

"Just go along with it," Tony said, softly, behind Pepper's back as they walked into their bedroom. "We'll put her to bed and keep her there."

"Okay."

Tony released Pepper enough to guide her to the edge of the bed and gently pushed her down. She went willingly enough, but pulled Peter down beside her, pulling her blankets up over the two of them and bringing him right up against her, tucking his head under his chin and crooning gently to him – obviously trying to reassure him that everything was alright.

He put an arm around her, doing what Tony told him to and going along with it, and only a few minutes later, she went silent beside him and her grip on him slackened.

"What's going on?" Peter asked Tony, who had been on the other side of Pepper, rubbing her back, tenderly, trying to ease her back to sleep the same way he did when Peter would sleepwalk.

"Tell me what happened."

Peter told him what had happened from the moment Pepper woke him in his room, up until when Stark had intercepted them in the garage.

"She kept telling me she wanted to keep them from getting me."

Tony nodded.

"Yeah, I heard that."

"Has she done this before?"

"Not since college," he replied. "But she's worried about you. I suppose worried enough that it's gotten into her head."

"But I'm fine. I haven't had a sleepwalking thing in a long time, now."

"No, it's the trip, Peter. It's going to be your first time away from us."

"I've been gone overnight at the sanctum," he reminded Tony, softly.

"Where you've been under the protection of Stephen and Wong. It's a lot different to her when the only one around to protect you from potential kidnappers is your science teacher."

"She's worried about us driving up, still?"

"No. My guess is that she's worried about lack of security at the hotel. I have to admit, I am, too. If someone wanted to make a grab for you, the hotel would be the place to do it."

Peter looked down at Pepper's sleeping form. Even though it was dark, he didn't have any trouble seeing how worried she looked – even asleep.

"Well… maybe we could figure something out. For the hotel, I mean."

"You'd be okay with that?"

"If I can drive up, yeah. I don't want her worrying about me like this."

"We'll discuss it in the morning, alright? I'm going to keep her home from the tower and I'm going to keep you home, too."

"What are you going to tell her?"

The boy was clearly rattled by the events of the night, and it showed.

"I'll think of something." He leaned over and pressed a tender kiss against her cheek, and she smiled and murmured something they couldn't understand. "Go to sleep, Peter."

"Okay."


	15. Chapter 15

She woke slowly, the way she normally did – when she had the opportunity to do so. With a contented smile, she realized that she could feel Tony holding her from behind, spooning deliciously against her with his body tucked right up behind hers. She loved waking up to that sensation.

Then she realized that with him _behind_ her, someone else had to be responsible for the warm breath that was right up on her collarbone. She opened her eyes and was surprised to find Peter cuddled against her front, his head under her chin, an arm draped carelessly over her side and her own arms both wrapped around him, possessively. She knew he hadn't been there when she'd gone to sleep the night before.

She shifted, just a little, and felt Tony's grip tighten a little when he realized she was waking up.

"Shhh…" he whispered in her ear. "Try not to wake him."

"Did he sleepwalk?" she whispered, turning her head, but unable to see him. "I don't remember him joining us, last night."

Besides, he hadn't had a sleepwalking episode for weeks. Long enough that she had let her guard down enough to even sleep naked a few times. Not _last night_ – thank goodness – although _Peter_ wasn't wearing a shirt and she hoped for his modesty's sake that he at least had sweats on under the blanket that was covering them.

"It's a long story," Tony said, and she felt him press a kiss against her ear, which made her shiver a little. "Do you have anything important on your schedule, today?"

"No. Why?"

"I think you should stay home, Pepper. I'm going to keep him home, too. He can make it up tomorrow."

She frowned.

"Was it that serious?" she asked, trying to figure out how to loosen her hold on Peter so she could roll over at look at Tony. Instead, she moved just an inch or so backward, into Tony, to put some space between her and Peter so she could look down at the boy's face. He was asleep, and she didn't see any sign of any injury. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine."

Peter stirred, then. Either in response to their voices, or her moving against him. His hand moved on her side and he cuddled closer to her, instinctively wanting the comfort that came from being with someone you know loves you. She tightened her hold on him and moved enough to brush a kiss against the top of his head.

"Pepper?"

His voice was soft and sleepy.

"Shhh… I'm here, sweetheart."

"Did I sleepwalk?"

"I think so," she replied, sleepily. "It's okay, though."

Once in five weeks was still a win for him.

"I don't want to drive to Ohio."

She frowned, wondering what he'd been dreaming about that had anything to do with Ohio. As far as she knew, he'd never even been there. She felt Tony's hand tighten on her side, and he shifted behind her.

"You don't _have_ to," she assured him, brushing her fingers through his hair to soothe him and try to put him back to sleep.

"I want to drive to the competition."

"I know. It's okay. You _can_. Remember?"

"What about the hotel, though?" he murmured.

"What about it, sweetheart?"

"It's not secure."

"I know."

Did she ever know. She suddenly remembered an odd dream that she'd had about trying to keep him safe.

"Can we have someone there, next weekend? Just in case? Or am I being too anxious about it?"

Pepper smiled, relieved, and hoping that he wasn't so asleep that he wouldn't remember this conversation.

"I think that that is a very good idea, Peter. I'd really like for someone to be there to keep you safe."

He nodded, and cuddled even closer – if it was possible. He still hadn't opened his eyes, as far as she knew.

"Not you and Tony, though," he mumbled.

"No?"

She felt just the tiniest stab of hurt at the thought that he didn't want her company, but smiled when he spoke, next.

"No one else's mom and dad are going to be there. It'd be weird."

"Okay. We'll find someone else to watch you."

He nodded, and was still for a long moment. Long enough that she assumed he had fallen asleep once more.

"Not a _baby-sitter_."

Pepper bushed her fingers through his hair, feeling a wave of relief go through her.

"Go to sleep, Peter," she told him. "We'll figure it all out, later."

"Okay…"

He went still, and she let him go to reach blindly for the hand that Tony had resting on her side. He caught her hand in his and brought it up to kiss her fingers before settling it back down on her hip, once more, caressing her side, soothingly.

"It's early, Pep," he whispered in her ear, before kissing her cheek. "Go back to sleep, okay?"

She nodded. Still sleepy and sandwiched between the two of them – and much less worried about what might happen in Syracuse, now, she allowed Tony to lull her back to sleep.

Once she was asleep, Tony lay in their bed, holding her – and vicariously, Peter – and went back over the conversation that the boy had had with her. He wondered at what point during the conversation Peter had woken enough to realize what he needed to say to bring up the lack of security at the hotel and reassure Pepper about getting someone there to keep an eye on things – security-wise.

He assumed the boy must have still been mostly asleep when he'd brought up not driving to Ohio, and when he'd asked if _he'd_ done the sleepwalking, because the sleepwalking question was automatic – and the Ohio question could have nudged her to remembering that she'd been the sleepwalker.

Either way.

Tony smiled, torn between being amused at Peter's successful handling of the sleepwalking topic, and being impressed at his quick thinking in how to get the problem resolved without giving up his permission to drive to the competition and without letting Pepper know that she'd tried to drive him somewhere while sleepwalking.

He closed his eyes, feeling a wave of worry go through him at the different terrible ways that that might have turned out. He'd put some kind of protocol on the cars in the garage – some way of making sure the person was awake before they'd start, or something. Hopefully, Pepper's sleepwalking was just a one-time thing, but if it wasn't, he'd help her work through it.

They'd done it with Peter, after all.

Eventually _he_ dozed off, as well.

OOOOOOO

Peter woke first.

Warm and secure in Pepper's arms, he was also very much aware of the fact that he wasn't dressed in anything more than a pair of boxers. Shy at the best of times with the fairer sex, he did not want to have Pepper waking up and realizing that she was cuddling with a mostly naked teenager. As much as he loved her – and he did – he flushed hotly at how badly he'd be able to deal with that particular situation.

Instead, he carefully eased himself out of her arms, and then out of the bed. He was pretty stealthy when he wanted to be – and he _really_ wanted to be, just then. She didn't make a sound as he landed lightly on the floor and then headed for the door to their quarters and the corridors beyond.

If he was lucky, he'd just get back to his rooms and get some sweats on. It was still somewhat early, and as he walked bare-footed through the empty halls, he wondered if Tony still planned on keeping him home. Of course, if Pepper wasn't going to go in – and after the scary night she'd had, even if she didn't know that she'd had it, he thought it likely that Tony wouldn't want her going anywhere – it would probably be inconvenient to take him in separately. He could always use the teleportation stone and get himself into the city, but he knew that the thing made Tony nervous, since it sapped a little energy out of him every time that he used it.

Maybe he'd just take the day off. It wasn't like he was behind, or anything. He could keep up. He didn't have any tests or anything that day, and he could always spend the day seeing if the fish were biting if –

"Hey."

He was brought up short – both in his musing and physically – when Natasha suddenly appeared in front of him just as he was rounding the final corner to his quarters. He stopped, trying to act casual about running through the compound mostly naked, and failing.

"Oh... Uh, hey, Natasha…"

She didn't miss how he was dressed, of course – or the slight blush.

"Are you _sleepwalking_?"

"Um. No?"

"How many quarts in a gallon?"

"Four."

She nodded.

"_Were_ you sleepwalking?"

"Well… it's a long… uh... you know…" he didn't know what to tell her, because he didn't know what Tony was going to tell Pepper, and they didn't want the stories being different. Which was one reason he didn't like to lie, because things got confusing – and because he was _bad_ at it. "Yeah?"

She narrowed her eyes, easily reading the lie.

"Peter…"

"No."

"What happened?" she asked. "And where are your clothes?"

"It's a long story."

She shrugged and reached for his hand.

"I've got all day. Come on."


	16. Chapter 16

"So she was going to drive?" Natasha asked, not bothering to hide her concern.

"Yeah. But I knew something was off, so I started to call Tony, but he was already on his way – because he thought that _I_ was sleepwalking."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"Whatever Tony wants me to say."

"She's a grown up, Peter. She could handle knowing the truth."

He shrugged.

"I know how ridiculous I feel when it's _me_ that has done something crazy sleepwalking. No reason to allow _her_ to feel it, too. Besides, if she doesn't know she did it, she won't get stressed over it and it might just be a one-time thing."

"Maybe."

"I figured Tony could decide, let me know, and then whatever he wants the story to be, I'll go along with. Everyone already knows I'm a spaz when I sleepwalk, so it's not a stretch to have me join them in their bed with nothing on."

"You're not a spaz," Natasha disagreed.

He gave her a pointed look, which made her smile.

"I made a lot of martinis and didn't drink any of them."

"Well, you do _colorful_ things," she temporized.

"Yeah."

"So you'd be okay with us sending a team to watch your back at the competition…?"

"As long as it doesn't make me stand out," he told her. "I mean, not _you_, or Steve or Clint… no one that people are going to be pointing at and following me around, trying to get an introduction. I want to blend in – which I don't get to do very often, any more. Does that make sense?"

"We're good at blending in," she told him. "I'll talk to Tony and Steve about it later."

"Okay."

"Tony's keeping you home, today?"

"He said he was. Pepper, too."

That must still be the plan, since it was later than their normal breakfast time, and he hadn't heard from either of them. Which made him assume they were still sleeping. He felt tired, too, and was debating whether or not he wanted to just go back to bed.

"Then come find me this afternoon."

Peter nodded, always pleased when she told him she wanted his company – even though she did it all the time. It was just that amazing to him.

"I will."

Romanoff caught his gaze and held it for a moment.

"You're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm going to put some clothes on."

She'd taken him to her room and had begun interrogating him immediately, so he was still only wearing his boxers. Of course, she'd been to all of his swimming lessons, and technically he wasn't showing any more skin than he did, then, so she knew it was just a psychological thing that made him feel undressed.

Romanoff looked down at him, smiling because he really _was_ pretty scrawny – but so adorable.

"I don't know, keep wandering the halls dressed like that and you might have more dates for Valentine's day."

Peter blushed, but grinned, because he knew she'd been trying to make him blush. And it worked. Every time, really.

"I'll see you later."

She walked with him as far as the door to her quarters, and then he scurried to the next door over to his own rooms, and she went looking for Steve, still amused.

OOOOOOOO

When Pepper woke, next, the only person still in the bed with her was Tony. A glance at her watch told her that she'd slept in and she felt a moment of annoyance that he'd let her sleep. She had things to do, after all, and couldn't get them done if she was lounging her day away. Then he smiled down at her, brushing a hand against her shoulder, and she felt less annoyed.

There was no denying the look of love in his expression.

"Good morning."

Pepper caught his hand.

"Morning. Where's Peter?"

"He's around," Tony told her. "He was gone when I woke up – presumably to go put some clothes on – and since then, according to Friday, he's been in the lounge, his quarters and out in the field."

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine, Pep."

"What happened last night?" she asked, rolling over and stretching under the blanket.

"He ended up in our bed. Mostly _naked_, though, so I can understand him not wanting to stick around this morning."

She smiled at the image of the boy sneaking out in an odd juvenile version of the morning walk of shame.

"I could have gone to work, today."

Stark shrugged, and leaned over and pinned her to the bed with his weight, kissing her, softly.

"No harm taking a three-day weekend."

"I suppose not," she replied, putting her arms around him, just enjoying the fact that he was there with her. "Was I dreaming, or did he agree to having a security team at the competition?"

"You weren't dreaming. Either that, or we had the same one. He wants to drive up, but didn't balk at a security presence."

"As long as it isn't us…"

He smiled, kissing her nose.

"Because he doesn't want _mom and dad_," Tony reminded her, which made Pepper smile.

"Do we send Romanoff?"

"No. We'll want to be more subtle than that, most likely. Which will rule out Steve and Clint, as well. He's not going to want the people watching over him to draw attention to him more than he already gets, now. Besides, the last thing his team needs is a distraction."

"Who, then?"

"I'll ask Steve and Natasha for recommendations. They're the ones in charge of that kind of thing."

"Peter's safety?" she asked. "I always assumed that's _your_ responsibility."

"It _is_, but Steve and Natasha are responsible for security – which is a category that this falls under." He kissed her again, and regretfully rolled off her and got out of the bed.

"Ah."

"Are you hungry?" he asked. "I could bring you breakfast in bed."

She stretched, again.

"Tempting, but no. I need to get up. I'll meet you in the lounge in half an hour."

"Sounds good."

"I love you."

He winked, touching her hand.

"You have no idea how much I count on that, every day."

Pepper smiled and shooed him away. Who'd ever have thought so many years ago that such a romantic lingered under all that narcissism?

OOOOOOO

Peter was sprawled on the sofa near their corner when Stark arrive in the lounge a few minutes after leaving his rooms. He was on his belly, an arm hanging over the edge, dangling a piece of knotted rope to play keep away – and then tug of war – with Jack, who was a willing participant. As Tony approached, the puppy managed to get a good grip on the rope and started backing up, putting Peter in real danger of being pulled off the couch completely since the leather upholstery had no friction to save him.

"Where's Steve?" Tony asked, scooping Jack up and moving his chin before the puppy had a chance to lick him.

The little lab was getting bigger every day. He was still very much a puppy, but he was beginning to lose some of the fuzziness of being a baby, and was starting gain some weight and some height.

"He and Natasha are out in the field running some drills. Jack kept chasing them so I said I'd keep him occupied."

"Good. Did you eat?"

"Yeah." The boy hesitated, and Tony handed Jack to him. "How's Pepper?"

"She's lounging in bed, being lazy. She'll meet us in half an hour or so, here."

"What did you tell her about last night?"

Tony sat down on the sofa, facing Peter.

"Nothing – so far. I said that you ended up in our bed. I'd rather she not know what happened, if you don't mind. She's a bit stressed by the trip you're taking, and nothing good could come from her knowing just how stressed."

"No. You can tell her I was the one sleepwalking, I don't mind. Natasha knows the truth, though. She caught me on my way back from your rooms and wanted to know where I'd been – and I didn't do a good job of hiding it."

"She _should_ know," Tony said. "But if we ask, she won't tell Pepper. You remember waking up this morning?"

"Yes. Mostly."

"You agreed to having a security presence at the competition."

"Yeah. If it's not someone that will have everyone staring at me."

"I agree. We'll talk to Steve and Natasha and see what they want to do. Whoever it is, we'll put them up in a separate room – not adjoining – but close enough that they can surreptitiously keep an eye on things at the hotel – and maybe keep an eye on the doors at the convention center."

"Okay."

"It'll still be fun for you."

Peter grinned, rubbing Jack's ears.

"It's going to be great."


	17. Chapter 17

The run-up to Friday was a fun time for Peter. Permission forms were filled out and turned in with a flourish, and waivers were signed. The others on his decathlon team were giving him and Ned good-natured grumbling about them thinking that they were too good to go on the bus, but aside from Flash, they knew it was mostly that they all would have liked to have driven themselves – even though they didn't all have licenses, yet.

Flash was just a spoiled punk, who didn't like Peter and didn't bother to hide that dislike.

Thursday after school and right before dinner, Peter was sat down in one of the smaller conference rooms and introduced to two men who were going to be assigned as his security team while he was at the hotel. They were both guys that he'd played football with, so he knew them by face even if he didn't know their names. They were going to be staying at the hotel, in a room a few doors down from the one Ned and Peter had already been assigned to for the trip.

The two men weren't going to interact with Peter or any of the others from the school. Their job was to simply keep an eye on things going on around the hotel – and they were both extremely good at it, which was the whole reason Steve had chosen them for the assignment.

"They're not going to be there to _spy_ on you," Tony had assured Peter at the briefing. "They're not going to step in if they see you doing something that they don't think we'd approve of – which we'd prefer you don't do, of course."

Which had made Pepper smile, too.

"I won't," Peter assured them.

Of course, he'd been to the competitions before, and was well aware that there wasn't that much going on that could get the participants into trouble. They didn't have anyone with them – other than Mr. Harrington – that was old enough to buy alcohol, and Peter wasn't interested in drinking, at any rate. The hotel had a pool, and it was heated, so they might use it, but it was about as exciting as the place had to offer.

"We trust you," Pepper told him.

She was feeling better about the trip. The thoroughness of the Avengers, and their obvious intent to keep Peter safe was reassuring to her. It was one thing to know that they were good at what they did, and were serious about their mission. (Peter, in this case) It was another, entirely, to see them in action.

The fact that the boy wasn't annoyed by the arrangements and the preparations told her that they wouldn't need to worry about him sneaking off to find trouble to get into, and the weather report was looking as clear as had been promised, so she was even feeling a bit optimistic about the drive, itself.

Peter smiled his response, and was unable to hide the excitement that was engulfing him just thinking about getting ready to go on an adventure. Maybe not entirely alone – even with Ned – but as alone as someone who was the legal son of Tony Stark could manage.

"If something comes up on the drive, you use Friday to call Tony," Steve said, drawing Peter's attention back to the briefing. "If for some reason you can't use the AI, use your watch – or have Ned use his. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"At the conference center, there will be a few shadows. No one you need to know about – as they are not there as contacts for you; they're simply going to be watching for potential trouble. Your only responsibility is to have a good time and let us do the worrying for you."

"That being said," Natasha spoke up. "You don't leave the place _alone_. While you're at the competition, you stay with the group."

"Okay."

"And pay attention to your gut. Got it?"

Peter nodded and Tony spoke up, again.

"Tomorrow, Natasha and I will meet you at the school before you guys are scheduled to leave. On route, stay with the bus as much as you can, but if for some reason you fall behind, don't speed to catch them."

"I won't."

He was excited about _that_, too. Tony was going bring the Lamborghini to him and he and Ned would leave the school in it, with Peter driving in the city – even though his junior license didn't allow him to do so. It was a special permit that Tony had pulled strings to get and it would save them the trouble of meeting somewhere along the way once they were out of the city to switch Peter and Ned into the car.

Natasha would then drive Tony back to the compound or to the tower.

It would give Stark a chance to make sure Peter didn't need anything before he left – and a chance for Romanoff to have one last check of things before they turned the boy loose in the big, wide, world.

"Any questions?" Steve asked the occupants of the room.

Everyone shook their heads. They all knew their jobs, now, and were ready. Peter was, too.

OOOOO

They had dinner in their quarters that night. Despite her lessening of concern over the trip, she was well aware that she wasn't going to have his company for the weekend, and she wanted to spend a little time with him before he went. They weren't going to stay up late; she and Tony both wanted to make sure that Peter had plenty of sleep the night before the drive – and knew Ned's mom was doing the same with her son – but there was time for a little family time over dinner and some relaxing activity, after.

"Are you packed?" Pepper asked, buttering a roll.

Peter nodded.

"All but my toothbrush."

"You have enough money?"

The kids were responsible for their own food – aside from the free breakfasts the hotel offered and the lunches that would be supplied at the competition. Snacks and dinners were on them. Which wasn't a problem. Peter had driven his Pontiac to the convenience store and stocked up on snacks of all sorts for the nights in their hotel room, and he had plenty of cash for buying dinner.

"I'm good, yeah."

"Do you need _anything_?"

The boy smiled, wondering if this same conversation was being played out in the households of his fellow team members – even at Flash's. It was such a family thing. A dad asking if he was set. A mom making sure he had all the things that he'd need packed so he wouldn't forget anything. The thought simply filled him with joy.

"I don't think so," he told them both. "You guys have made sure of it."

Which earned him a smile from both of them.

"We want you to have fun," Tony said.

Peter nodded, but he didn't know how to thank them beyond just saying thank you – and that didn't seem to be enough, really. He knew that they were worried about him, and they were letting him go, despite it. It was one of those times when he loved them both so much that he just couldn't explain or describe it to them. It also made him determined to be as careful as he could be so neither of them would regret letting him go.

When they were done eating, they stayed in the living area and ended up gathered on the sofa to watch movies. They all wanted a quiet evening, and movies were really an ideal way to accomplish that. Pepper and Tony weren't the movie buffs that Peter was, but it was something they both enjoyed for him, and they put him between them and turned the lights down and settled in.

Sitting between the two of them, Peter spent the night before his trip engulfed in warmth and love. That same security followed him when they finally called it a night and he went back to his room. His last thought before drifting off to sleep was that he was probably the luckiest guy in the world to have ended up with them to call his very own.

He didn't realize that they thought the same thing about him.


	18. Chapter 18

Happy drove Pepper and Peter into the city Friday morning. She wasn't a complete wreck like she'd almost expected to be, but Pepper wanted to sit in the back with Peter before his trip, spending just that little bit of extra time with him before he left for the weekend. Peter didn't mind; he was a good-natured kid, anyway, and even though he never would have suggested it himself, he _liked_ that she wanted to be close to him.

It was still such a new sensation that he didn't feel like he was being smothered like a teenager might normally feel in such circumstances with a parent that they'd had all their life.

Instead, he sat beside her, his backpack between them. His small traveling bag was in the Lamborghini and would come to the school with Tony – along with what had to honestly be called a copious amount of snacks. She had her arm over the back of the seat, her hand not quite touching him but definitely in position in case she couldn't help herself and wanted to brush a fingertip along his temple, or his shoulder – or even his cheek.

"Did you do your homework?"

Peter smiled.

She knew how panicked he'd get when he was behind, and it was a question both she and Tony tended to ask him, constantly.

"Yes." He patted his backpack. "Did you look at the specifications for the data overload company doing the 6-G tech for your meeting?" he countered, proving to her that he paid attention to what she was telling them when Tony would ask her about her day and what new things – or new directions – that she may be working on at the time for the company.

Pepper's smile was a mixture of amused and impressed.

"I _did_."

To prove it, she discussed with him the groundbreaking technology that she'd been researching – with a fair amount of input from Tony, who had come up with a few ideas of his own to add to it. No sense being a genius if you didn't apply those brains to the company that your fiancé ran for you, after all. By the time Happy pulled up to the school loading zone, Pepper had almost managed to forget what was coming.

_Almost_.

Peter saw the concern in her expression when the car stopped, and he reached out and took her hand.

"I'm going to be fine," he assured her, squeezing it, carefully. "I'll check in with you when we reach the hotel, and if _you_ need to check on _me_ – or just say hi – you know how to reach me. Right?"

"Yes." She had a tissue in her hand, and wiped her eyes before they had a chance to smudge her makeup. "You'll drive carefully. Promise?"

He nodded, and leaned over and hugged her, knowing that nothing he said could possibly make her less worried, but absolutely sure of what he needed to tell her.

"I love you, momma," he whispered in her ear, using the title that Tony had given her long before Peter had ever considered himself entitled enough to do so.

Pepper made a soft noise that he couldn't quite translate and her hold on him tightened and the hug lasted far longer than a casual _have a good day_ hug normally would. Peter didn't mind. He simply buried his face against her neck and gave her all the time she needed – and soaked up all the love she was offering him.

Then, only when she loosened that hold on him, he kissed her cheek and gave her a jaunty wink before grabbing his backpack and opening the door and saying goodbye to Happy before heading into the school at an easy trot.

Happy looked back at Pepper, who was once more dabbing at her eyes.

"I _heard_ that," he told her with a smile.

She smiled, too.

"I wish it had been recorded," she told him, reaching over and closing the door Peter had been too excited to close behind him. "I'd listen to it over and over."

He shook his head and turned the car toward the street, fairly certain that she didn't need a recording to hear it, again, in her mind.

OOOOOOO

Despite how excited he was about the trip, Peter wasn't the first one out the door after 5th period to meet the others.

Tony and Natasha pulled into the parking lot, coming to a stop next to the bus that was going to be taking the rest of the team. Only the bus driver was there that early, but they didn't mind, and the bus driver was clearly enamored of the idea of having Ironman and Black Widow to himself to chat with while they waited.

A few minutes later, students started trickling out to the parking lot – although none of them got on the bus, yet. They tossed backpacks and bags onto the seat they wanted to stake claim to, and then hung out in the parking lot, milling around, excitedly. They all knew Tony and Natasha from the field trip out to the compound, and between talking to the two of them and checking out not only the Lamborghini, but also Natasha's sleek Corvette, the kids weren't in any hurry to board the bus until they needed to.

Mr. Harrington arrived with his own small travel bag in one hand and a clip-board in the other. He greeted Natasha and Tony, as well, and then moved over to have a brief discussion with the bus driver. MJ and Ned suddenly arrived, and both came over to say hello to the Avengers.

"Where's Peter?" Stark asked, watching as Ned opened the car door and casually tossed his bag onto the seat.

"He got held up by Mr. Stuber," MJ said. "He was right behind us."

"Are you ready, team captain?" Natasha asked, smiling.

The girl blushed, slightly, at the reminder of her promotion and nodded.

"As ready as these guys can be."

They watched as Flash arrived and headed straight to the bus without talking to anyone, and then Ned gestured back toward the school, where they all saw Peter running over to them, looking excited.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd changed your mind, Parker," Mr. Harrington said, walking over to stand by the door to the bus since everyone was there, now. "Are we ready, kids?"

They said their goodbyes to Romanoff and Stark, and started checking in and loading the bus. All but Ned and Peter, who watched with growing excitement. Sure, it was only a three-hour drive – technically closer to _four_, since Peter had calculated his drive time from the compound – but it was all the thought that counted on this one.

Natasha looked at Peter and Ned.

"No speeding."

Both boys shook their heads in unison.

"No."

"No illegal passing people."

"We'll be careful," Peter promised her, his eyes cheerful, despite the seriousness of the conversation.

"I'll take care of him, Natasha," Ned promised her, making her smile, too.

"But then who will take care of _you_, Ned?"

"_Peter_, of course."

She glanced over at the bus, where all the students were at the windows, watching the goodbyes.

"You guys be good."

To the boy's great delight, she hugged Ned, who hugged her back – and couldn't help but feel just a smug. A hug from Natasha Romanoff? In plain sight of the others? He was in heaven. Then she hugged Peter, as well, and without hesitation took hold of his face and planted a kiss on his lips that made the kids at the windows whoop and set up a string of wolf-whistles that made Peter blush – which had been exactly what she'd planned on.

"I'll be in the car," she told Tony, impishly.

Stark figured that was all the embarrassment Peter really needed for one afternoon. He _did_ hug Ned – although he knew his own embrace would pale in comparison to Natasha's – and told the boy to get in the car. Then he turned to Peter.

"I'll be a call away if you need me," he reminded the boy.

"Yeah. I know. _Thanks_, Tony."

"Don't forget my shot glass."

Peter nodded, and Stark pulled him into a hug and rested his chin on the top of the teenager's head for a moment before letting him go.

"Drive safe."

He stepped back and waved at the kids on the bus while Peter got behind the wheel of the Lamborghini and buckled in, carefully, before starting the engine, which roared to life and sent a rush of adrenaline through all of the kids on the bus, as well.

Stark turned and went over to the Corvette and got into the passenger seat.

"You okay?" Romanoff asked him.

"What?" Tony shrugged, nonchalantly, trying to be casual. "Yeah. Of course. He's a good driver, right? He'll be fine."

"Want me to tail them until we get out of the city?"

"As long as he doesn't see you."

She smiled.

"He won't."


	19. Chapter 19

"This is frakking _awesome_…"

Peter smiled, and glanced over at Ned for just a moment before turning his attention back to the traffic around him. Because he wasn't old enough to drive in the city, he didn't have a lot of practice at it, and didn't want to get into an accident or something before they even got out of the gate.

"Yeah, it is."

"Did you see Flash? He's so pissed, man."

"Why?"

"Because he asked his dad if he could drive himself to the competition and his dad said no."

"How did you hear that?"

"I _hear_ things, Peter," Ned told him. "That's what I _do_. Even better, then he went crying to his mother to get her to say yes, and she told him no, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You can't play one parent off the other if you give them a chance to discuss it before you broach the topic with whichever one you didn't ask first. _Everyone_ knows that."

"_I_ didn't."

"Because you're new to _having_ two of them," Ned reminded him. "You'll figure it out."

"Sounds sneaky."

"It _is_." Ned reached into the snack bag that was down by his feet. "Want a drink?"

"No. Not, yet."

Ned settled in, rolling his window down so he could hang his arm out, casually waving a hand at anyone who saw the license plate of the car and moved to catch up with them in hopes of getting a glimpse of Tony Stark – only to find two teens, instead. He was _thoroughly_ enjoying the ride – and the attention.

"Did you see MJ's face when Natasha kissed you?"

Peter hit the brake so hard that he almost locked them up, and Ned spilled his soda down the front of his shirt.

"What?"

"_Jesus_, Peter," Ned complained. "Watch the road."

"Yeah. Sorry." He looked in his mirror at the car behind him that had almost rear-ended him and waved an apology as he started forward, again. "What did she look like?"

"I'm not sure," Ned admitted. "She's hard to read, sometimes. But she looked annoyed."

"I don't see why."

Ned grinned.

"Me, either. Natasha could kiss me all day, man."

Peter shook his head, watching as the school bus a few cars ahead of him got into the turn lane, and followed it.

"I'm pretty sure Dr. Strange would have something to say about that."

Ned gave a dramatic sigh, and took another drink of his soda.

"Yeah."

It's hard to compete with a sorcerer supreme, after all.

OOOOOOO

_"Incoming call from Miss Potts."_

Stark smiled over at Romanoff as his phone and watch both alerted him.

"Right on time." He answered the phone, bringing it up on a visual so he could see her expression and she could see his. He much preferred it that way, and knew Natasha wouldn't mind. "Hey, Pepper."

She looked beautiful, as always – if not a little worried.

"_Did they get off on time?"_

"Yes. A few minutes behind, but nothing too far out of scope."

"_Has he checked in, yet?"_

"He's not out of the _city_ yet, honey."

He saw her frown.

"_How do you know that?"_ then she hesitated and then her eyebrow went up. "_Are you _following_ them?"_

Romanoff smiled at the innocent look Stark immediately assumed.

"_What?_ No. Of course not."

"_Tony…"_

"We're _not_, Pep. We're leaving the city and just happen to be going the same route that they are, is all."

"_Uh-huh. And do you happen to be able to see them ahead of you somewhere?"_

"We might be able to," he said. "What were they driving, again?"

Pepper smiled at the gentle teasing, which made Stark smile. At least she wasn't looking worried.

"_How is he doing?"_

"He's doing great. Don't worry."

"_I _will_ worry, though."_

"Well, worry less, okay? He's almost out of the city, and he is still close enough to the bus that they can see each other."

"How far are you going to follow him?"

"Natasha's car isn't the most ordinary," he pointed out, making Romanoff smile. She _liked_ her car, thank you very much. "We'll probably have to peel off once we lose all the traffic heading north so he doesn't spot us."

"_But then you'll keep track with satellite?"_

The car was low jacked, even without Friday being integrated into the system. _With_ Friday's input, if he wanted to, Stark could even keep track of speeds – which he wasn't going to do, he told himself. He trusted Peter.

"We'll keep an eye on him, Pepper."

"_I'll be home early."_

"Okay. I love you."

"_I love you, too."_

The connection ended and Romanoff looked over at him.

"We could probably follow them a little further, if you want."

Traffic was thinning in front of them and there were only a few cars and a greyhound bus in between them and the boys. Tony shook his head.

"Let's head home."

He could keep track of them just as easily from the compound – easier, even, since he had more screens to look at there than he did in Romanoff's car.

OOOOOOOOO

Once they were out of the city and clear of the heavier traffic that he wasn't really used to, Peter was able to relax a bit. He shifted the car into a higher gear when the traffic sped up a bit, but was careful to stay at the speed limit – made easy enough since everyone else was, too.

"There's a state patrol car up ahead of us," Ned pointed out, cracking open a pop for Peter, although he'd have to hold it for him, since the car didn't have a cup holder.

"That explains it."

"Yeah."

They caught up to the school bus and saw a couple of their teammates at the back window, waving at them. Ned grinned and waved back.

"Friday? Will you call Tony, please?"

"What are you doing?" Ned asked, curiously.

"Just checking in. I don't want them worrying, and I don't want to interrupt Pepper. Tony can do that."

"_Peter_?" Stark's voice didn't even sound concerned – which made the boy feel good.

"Hi, Tony. Just letting you know we're out of the city, now."

"_Everything okay?"_

"Yeah. We're right behind the bus – but not tailgating. I just didn't want you to worry."

"_Thanks."_

"I'll check in later, okay?"

_"Have fun."_

Ned waved at MJ, who had joined the people at the window.

"Wave at her, Peter," Ned suggested. "But don't get distracted, okay?"

Peter just rolled his eyes at that, and waved, smiling at MJ. Who smiled back and waved to him.

OOOOOOOO

About an hour and a half into the drive, Ned's cell phone rang. By then both the boys and the people on the bus had grown bored with waving at each other, and Peter could see that a couple of the riders in the back seat were sleeping, with their heads on coats or jackets against the window. He wasn't tired.

"It's MJ," Ned said, turning down the music that they had been listening to and answering the cell. "Hello?"

Peter turned his attention back to the bus, but she wasn't in the back and he couldn't hear MJ's side of the conversation since Ned didn't have his phone on speaker, and it wasn't hooked into the system like Friday was.

"Yeah, I'll let him know. We might have to ask Mr. Stark. Okay, thanks. Bye."

"What's up?"

"There's a rest stop coming up and the bus is going to stop. Flash has been bitching that he needs to stretch his legs. Are we stopping?"

"Do you need to stop?" Peter asked.

"Not really. I wouldn't mind changing shirts, though."

He had a stain from the soda that he'd spilled, and he didn't want to show up at the hotel looking like a slob.

"Let me ask Tony." Peter watched the bus and saw the sign that warned a rest stop was coming. "Friday? Will you call Tony, please?"

It was only a moment later that Tony answered, and Peter had a feeling that he'd been holding his phone in his hand – just in case.

"_Peter?"_

"Hey. The bus is stopping at a rest stop. Do you want us to stay with it and stop? Or just keep going?"

There was a pause, but Stark was good at making instant decisions.

"_No. Stop with the bus. Get out and stretch your legs, even if you don't need to go to the bathroom."_

"Okay."

"You doing alright?"

"We're good, Tony."

_"Okay, call if you need anything."_

"It makes me wish we needed something," Ned said. "We could probably ask for anything right now and get it."

"What would you ask for?"

His friend shrugged.

"That's the thing, right? There's nothing we need, but it's a perfect opportunity to get it."

The bus turned on the turn signal and went onto the highway exit and Peter followed. Even though one arrow pointed cars toward it and the bus went the other direction, Peter simply followed the bus and parked beside it. Ned got out and pulled his bag, searching through it for a clean shirt. Peter knew from experience there was more than just a couple. Ned always over-packed. Peter opened his door and got out, too, hitting the lock on the keychain as he did – even though Friday could have locked it for him – and walked over to the bus.

Kids from the academic team started getting off the bus and most waved but headed for the bathroom, but MJ stopped beside him.

"How's it going?" she asked. "Is Ned asking to drive, yet?"

He smiled.

"No. He could if he wanted to, but unless I get tired, I'll drive us all the way there. I'm more comfortable with the car than he is. Are you guys having fun?"

"Mainly just doing pop quizzes. Just in case." She saw a small building that was set up to give out coffee and refreshments to weary drivers in exchange for donations, and started walking that direction. "Buy me a cookie?"

"Yeah. Sure."

They went up to the window and discovered more than just coffee and cookies. Peter asked for a cup of juice to go with the handful of cookies that he took and gestured for MJ to ask for anything. Ned joined them a minute later, carrying the dirty shirt and now wearing a blue t-shirt that proclaimed him to be the world's greatest lover. Pretty soon the entire class was gathered around the serving window – lured there by free treats – and Peter dropped a $20 bill into the donations jar to buy for all of them before moving out of the way.

MJ followed and they went over to the car and leaned against it, drinking his juice so he wouldn't have to take it in the car with him and risk spilling it. People were moving past them, all of them stopping to check out the Lamborghini. On this side, it was mostly truck drivers and people with trailers, but there still quite a few.

"Are you and Ned quizzing each other?" she asked. "There's a preliminary round tonight, you know?"

"No. But we _can_," he added.

"Baylor's a good school. I'd like to do well against them."

"Yeah. No. I do, too," he assured her. "We-"

"Hey, kid, is this your car?"

The two teens looked over and saw a couple of men in ball caps and jeans looking at the car – and at them.

"It's his _dad's_," MJ said.

"Is he here?" one of them asked.

"No," Peter told him.

"Your dad's _Tony Stark_?" the other asked.

It was an easy assumption to make, based on the car's license plate.

"Yeah."

"That's awesome."

Peter certainly agreed, but he wasn't sure if that was something that really needed an answer. He didn't feel anything that told him either of the men were going to cause any trouble, but he wasn't great at making small talk, either.

"Um. Yeah."

The men moved on, shaking their heads and MJ smiled.

"The price of fame, I guess."

Peter blushed and nodded.

"You should when I'm with Tony," he told her. "Or Steve or Natasha. Then it's really crazy."

MJ frowned.

"I better get on the bus. Thanks for the cookies."

"What? Oh. Yeah, you're welcome. I'll see you at the hotel."

She didn't say anything, and Ned came up, munching on a twinkie.

"Why does she look so annoyed?" he asked, watching as MJ and the others started loading themselves back on the bus under their teacher and the driver's watch eye.

Peter just shrugged and threw his now empty juice cup in the garbage.

"Beats me," he said. "She was fine a minute ago."

"Yeah, well, my dad says women are crazy and unpredictable. I guess they have to start somewhere, right?"

"Yeah. I guess."


	20. Chapter 20

There was still plenty of day left when the Lamborghini pulled into the hotel parking lot. Peter and Ned parked in a spot under a light pole that wasn't actually on, yet, and Ned got out to stretch his legs while Peter had Friday make a final call. Now that he wasn't driving, the AI brought up a display and a moment later Tony answered.

"_Hey,"_ Stark told him by way of greeting. "_Are you there, yet?"_

"We just pulled into the hotel parking lot."

"_How was the drive?"_

"It was good. Ned and I quizzed each other most of the way."

"_Think you're ready?"_

"Yeah. We have a preliminary round tonight, but it's pretty much just a warm up for tomorrow. Is Pepper there?"

"_Right beside me." _

Stark moved a little to the left and Pepper's head suddenly appeared, smiling.

"_Hi, sweetheart."_

"Hi."

"_You're there safe?"_

"Yeah We just pulled in, We're going to wait for the bus."

"_You were separated?"_

"Yeah. They have a different speed on the toll road, so we would have risked a ticket trying to slow down to stick with them. They can't be too far behind."

"_Do you need anything?"_

"No. We're both good. We have an event at the convention center tonight – and we'll have dinner with the team – but then we're going to probably goof off a little before MJ sends everyone to bed."

Pepper smiled.

"_MJ, huh?"_

"Yeah, she already warned us that she wanted to make sure we were all well rested for tomorrow."

"_Well good luck."_

"_Have fun,"_ Tony added.

"We will. Talk to you, later."

He ended the call and turned the car off.

"Did you check in?" Ned asked.

"Yeah. Did you call your mom?"

"Yes. She said to say hi. Hi."

Peter smiled.

"Help me get the car covered."

They took their things out of the Lamborghini and then pulled a specially made cover for the car and the boys put it on the car from front to back. Not only would it protect the car itself – which was important, but not that big of a deal – it would cover the license plates and the very noticeable STARK5 on them. That would cut down on people happening to notice the plates and then spend time searching the hotel and convention center for Stark or Ironman.

Less people to be watched.

They weren't worried about anyone actually messing with the car. With Friday still actively interfaced with the security system, anyone who tried anything with it would trigger the sensitive sensors and Stark would be notified, immediately. Peter wasn't integrated with Friday, so he wasn't an option for the AI to call.

Peter and Ned waited by the car for the others, and were only standing there another 15 minutes or so when the bus pulled in and parked beside them. Tired from the bumpy ride and more than ready to stretch their legs, everyone grabbed their things and followed their teacher and the bus driver toward the hotel lobby, talking excitedly about the ride, and the upcoming competition.

"How was the ride?" Peter asked MJ while they waited for Mr. Harrington to check them all in and give them keycards for their rooms.

She shrugged, looking less annoyed, now, and a bit excited.

"It was okay. Might have been more fun if you'd been on the bus with us."

He blushed, but tried to play it off, thinking that that was what Tony would have done, and trying very hard to be a lot smoother with her than he usually managed to be.

"You're just saying that because you wanted to quiz us."

MJ smiled.

"Busted."

"Okay, team," Harrington said, interrupting as he walked away from the front desk and started handing out keycards and giving out room assignments. Ned and Peter were on the third floor in the room in the middle of the western side of the courtyard. That had been a request made before they'd even arrived and had been made for security reasons. The rest of the team was on the same floor, in the same area. Two to a room. "Let's get settled in and head over to the convention center. There's a food court there, from what I've been told. "We'll have about 40 minutes to eat, and then we have preliminaries."

Peter picked up his bags and followed the others toward the stairs that led to their rooms, eager to have a look around and see what else was going on at the convention center that might be interesting.

OOOOO

"They've checked in."

"And they're in the right room?"

Romanoff nodded, sitting at the table in the corner and joining Stark and Pepper, who were getting ready to eat dinner – both already missing Peter's cheerful countenance, which they had grown used to having at Friday night meals.

"According to Stecker and Voss, they are. Room 327 for Peter and Ned, MJ and the rest of the team are one either side of them, stacked two per room with the teacher and bus driver sharing the end room on one side and Stecker and Voss on the other end."

"Can't ask for better than that," Tony said, approvingly.

"No."

"Anything else we need to know about?"

"Security is at the convention center, already. Peter's competition is on the 9th floor, so we're basically covering that area, but we've got spotters if we need them. Only a single guy tonight, basically watching Peter, but we'll amp it up a bit, tomorrow and Sunday morning. The boys covered the car, so we shouldn't have any issues with too many random people showing up looking for you."

"Thanks, Natasha."

She smiled.

"You're welcome."

"Care to join us?" Pepper asked.

"Later. I want to check a couple of other things out. One of the guys at the convention center mentioned a meeting of minds – but they didn't have anything official down as far as who is participating."

"So, someone is having a secret meeting?" Tony asked.

"Looks that way, yes."

"On the 9th floor?"

"No. Otherwise we'd already know who it is."

"But you're curious enough to check it out…"

"Yes." She shrugged. "Just to be sure we don't have anything to worry about."

"And because _you_ don't like secrets."

Romanoff smiled.

"You know me so well."

Which made Stark smile, too.

"Is Stephen coming by tonight?"

"Probably."

"Come play cards, later."

"We will."

It was nice of him to invite them, but she knew he also had an ulterior motive – he knew she'd tell him what – if anything – they found out for her at the convention center, too.

OOOOOOOO

"Wow…"

The convention center was a pretty impressive building. Not too surprising, considering it was the venue for hundreds of different events each year – ranging from conventions to summits and even high-tech shows and a once a year auto and RV show. The team was ushered to the 9th floor by their teacher and the bus driver – who was also acting as a chaperone for the group.

"I want you guys to meet here at 8:00 PM, sharp," Harrington told them. "We'll have time to get situated before the preliminaries. Got it?"

They all nodded.

"There's a food court on each floor," the bus driver told them. "No reason to leave this area to get dinner."

The group split up, then, and went to find their dinner, but there wasn't a lot of time to eat before they needed to check back in, and Peter and Ned decided – with MJ and a couple of others – that they would rather eat a real meal later and just grabbed a couple of tacos from one of the many food vendors in the food court. They munched them as they walked around, exploring the entire floor – which had several different rooms besides the main ballroom that was set up for their competition – including conference rooms not unlike a few at the compound, the aforementioned food court, a couple of side ballrooms and what looked like just a big, empty room that might double as a gym, or something.

"This place is a lot bigger than I thought it would be," Ned said as they walked back to their room to meet the others.

"Yeah," MJ agreed. "It'll be fun to look around a little more when we have time."

They didn't have any more time to chat, though – or to explore. The rest of the team was ready, and the other school had its team ready, as well, and they sat in their designated spots at their designated tables, listening to the moderator and the judges, and then running through the initial round of the competition, which would decide order of topics and which team would be allowed to go, first for each round.

OOOOOO

"What are you doing?"

The girl jumped, startled, and rounded on her brother, slapping his arm and feeling foolish for having been caught peeking around a giant, plastic plant in the near dark of the back of the room.

"You _scared_ me, brother!" she snapped, smiling because he looked so pleased with himself for catching her snooping where she didn't belong.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, looking around the plastic plant, as well.

"It is a _competition_," she said, softly, her eyes glued to the competitors. "For _teenagers_. They are asking trivia questions."

He didn't look impressed.

"You are much too smart for something like that, Shuri," her brother told her. "They would be hopelessly outclassed by you."

"They are not _stupid_, T'Challa," she disagreed. "The entire team participates, The score is not based on the individual, but rather how well the team works together to find the correct answer."

His look was disproving.

"We are not here for games."

"I _know_." She was undaunted, though, and still watching as one of the teams rang a bell and answered the question posed to them correctly, earning high-fives from the others. "But the council has not yet arrived, correct?"

"Correct."

"Then perhaps I can watch a little longer."

He rolled his eyes, looking upwards, as though asking for help dealing with someone so stubborn.

"It is undignified for a Princess to be caught skulking."

"Then I will make sure no one catches me."

She touched a device on her sleeve and suddenly it was almost impossible to pick her out from the background of the plant.

Her brother rolled his eyes and threw up his hands.

"Just stay out of trouble."

"They won't even know I'm here," the shadow against the fake plant assured him.

Mumbling to himself, T'Challa walked off.


	21. Chapter 21

"That was great," MJ said an hour later. "Good job, guys."

The room was emptying out, everyone filing out through the door that led out into the corridors of the 9th floor.

"They're going to be a tough team to beat," Ned said. "They've got some pretty smart people."

"So do _we_," MJ told them as they headed for the door, as well. "Let's get something to eat. I'm hungry."

They were almost to the door when Peter felt just a little bit of a tingle, and he hesitated, looking around. It wasn't the tingle that told him something awful was going to happen, but one that said something was definitely going on.

"Peter?"

Ned and MJ had both stopped when he did.

"What? Oh. Yeah. You guys go ahead. I'll catch up." He looked around. "I might have left my binder…"

"We can wait," MJ offered.

"Yeah. No. It'll just be a minute. Where do you want to eat?"

"The Burger King next to the hotel?" Ned suggested.

"Yeah. I'll be there in a minute."

"Don't take too long," MJ told him. "I want everyone in bed at a decent hour."

"Okay."

He turned as if to go back toward the stage area, watching them, but once they were gone, he stopped and started looking around, paying attention to his gut like Natasha always told him to, his sharp eyes looking for whatever might be causing the tingle. The last of the judges left, murmuring goodnight to him, leaving him alone in the now echoingly empty room.

His gaze went by one of the giant fake plants that were near the door, swept beyond it and then returned to it, once more. Was there a seam where there shouldn't be?

"Hello?" he whispered, not wanting to look stupid if someone double-backed and saw him talking to himself. "Is anyone there?"

There wasn't an answer, and he felt stupid. If not for those spider senses singing to him – again, without the urgency that made him feel uneasy, just telling him that he wasn't alone – he would have left. But he just knew he wasn't by himself.

"I won't hurt you," he said, trying to use his best reassuring voice.

There was an audible sigh, and suddenly a figure emerged from the shadows behind the plant. A girl – maybe his age – with dark skin, hair piled onto the top of her head in an intricate design and an annoyed look on her face, suddenly seemed to materialize from out of nowhere.

Peter jumped back, startled.

"You could not hurt me," the girl advised him, confidently, in heavily accented English.

"Whoa!" he grinned, feeling ridiculous for being surprised when he'd been so certain someone was there. "Sorry."

She smirked.

"It is alright. How did you know I was there?"

Shuri wasn't used to people bypassing her technology, and was curious how a mere boy seemed to have done so – almost effortlessly. If she knew what he did, she could fix whatever flaw had allowed it.

"Uh…" Peter hesitated. Obviously, he couldn't mention his spider senses telling him that she was close at hand. "How did you _do_ that? Is it technology? Refraction, or manipulation of the light spectrum… something like that?"

"Something like that," she agreed, not hiding her surprise at the intelligence of the question. "You did not answer my question, though."

"Yeah. Um. Which question was that?"

"How did you know I was there?"

"I saw a movement against the plant." That was safe enough. "I'm Peter. _Parker_."

"Shuri."

"Oh." They stood, staring at each other, uncertainly, for a long moment. "Are you here for the… um… the competition?" Peter finally asked.

"No. I am supposed to attend a series of meetings with my brother."

"Oh."

Peter's watch chimed, startling both of them. He tore his gaze from Shuri and tapped the proper button.

"Yeah?"

"_Hurry up, Peter. MJ's getting annoyed."_

"Yeah. Okay."

He saw her gaze go to his watch.

"A communications watch?" she asked, stepping up to him, interested. "Is that something all schoolchildren have in your country?"

"I'm not a _schoolchild_," Peter told her, automatically a little defensive. "I mean. I'm in _school_, yes, but I'm not a… yeah. No." He sighed, silently to himself. "Not many of us have them."

"Just your trivia team?" she reached for his hand, curious to see the device on the boy's wrist.

"No. Here? Just me and Ned." He watched, going silent as she turned his wrist, examining the watch but not actually touching it. His spider senses weren't giving him any reason to be nervous, but she was a girl, so he was, anyway. "It's kind of an _Avenger_ thing." He added.

She turned her attention from the watch to the boy.

"You know the Avengers?"

"Some of them," he admitted, fairly certain that Natasha wouldn't approve of him pointing out just how intimately familiar he was with them to a perfect stranger – especially just to impress her.

"I was hoping my brother would take me to New York - the _city_," Shuri said. "I understand that the Avenger tower is in the heart of the city, there, and I would like to have seen it." She rolled her eyes. "For security purposes, we are _here_, instead, where no would expect us."

"Oh." He pulled his hand away from hers, trying to be casual about the motion. "That makes sense, right? It's probably safer here."

"But not as exciting." She looked back at the room behind them. The tables and the stage and where the moderator had been standing. "Tell me about your trivia game."

"The decathlon? It's a school thing," he told her, deciding finally that she wasn't from anywhere nearby. Maybe Africa, to judge by the accent – but he wasn't an expert. "Our school's team against the other team. We just try to get the most answers right in the course of the event."

"Did you win?"

He smiled, and shook his head.

"We just started. It's a weekend long-"

"_Peter! Hurry up!"_

They both jumped at Ned's demanding voice coming over the communication line, and smiled at being startled again.

"I gotta go," Peter told her. "Before Ned comes looking for me."

"I understand."

He hesitated, wondering if she was just bored, or if she was lonely. He knew how both felt.

"We're going to Burger King," he said. "You could come. I mean. If you wanted to, that is."

Shuri smiled at the invitation, but shook her head, regretfully.

"My brother expects me, too soon, I think. But _thank_ _you_ for the invitation."

"Yeah. You're welcome. Sure." Peter hesitated, and then shrugged. "Are you here all weekend?"

"Yes."

He smiled.

"Maybe I'll see you again, then, Shuri. You could watch the competition, if you wanted. You don't have to hide."

"We will see. It was nice speaking with you, Peter Parker."

Which made him blush.

"You can just call me Peter."

"I will."

He nodded and left. A moment later, Shuri left, too, and went the opposite direction.

OOOOOOOO

It was an annoyed looking Natasha Romanoff who joined Pepper, Tony and Stephen for cards much later that evening.

"Why do I get the feeling you haven't solved the mystery of the secret meeting?" Stark asked, as she sat down opposite Strange.

"Because I haven't," she admitted.

"Really?"

Romanoff had a pretty good network of contacts – in pretty much every corner of the intelligence world. It was inconceivable that there was a secret she couldn't figure out.

"Must be a hell of a meeting," Strange said.

"Yes. Which really makes me wonder who's _attending_."

"The _President_?" Pepper suggested.

"No. I'd know that, by now. The Secret Service can't keep a secret like that. They need too much help from the locals."

Stark frowned.

"Private sector meeting, maybe? Moguls? That kind of thing?" he looked over at Pepper. "Elon's not holding a summit out here, is he?"

"Not that I know of," she replied. "You'd have received an invitation."

"I've got feelers out," Romanoff said. "I'll know by tomorrow."

She was very good at uncovering secrets, after all. Some just took longer to reveal themselves than others.


	22. Chapter 22

"What took you so long?" Ned asked. "Where's your binder?"

Peter shrugged and sat down at the table with them, setting his tray in front of him.

"I ran into this girl."

"From Baylor?" Ned asked, looking at MJ. "You can't be fraternizing with the enemy, Peter. Everyone knows that."

"No. She wasn't from the other team. I'm not really sure _where_ she's from, but she was asking about the competition – she said she was at the convention center with her brother for some meeting and asked about my watch."

"You should have invited her to come eat with us. If she's here for a meeting, she's probably already bored stiff."

"I did," Peter told them. "She said her brother was probably expecting her. Besides, for all she knows I'm an _axe murderer_. She was probably smart not to come with me."

MJ had frowned initially, but she smiled at that.

"You didn't tell her who you were?"

"No. I mean, Yeah. I told her my _name_."

"You didn't tell her about Mr. Stark and the Avengers?" Ned asked.

"No. I didn't think it mattered. I could still be an axe murderer."

Ned rolled his eyes.

"Peter, you're so dumb, dude. You've got to drop all the names you can – that way you can impress the girls. Tell him, MJ."

Peter looked over at MJ, who didn't look amused by Ned's advice. She shook her head.

"You don't need rich parents or Avengers to impress a girl," MJ told him. "You just need to be yourself."

Ned made a motion like he was throwing up, which made Peter smile.

"She might come to the competition this weekend and watch us," Peter said. "If she does, I'll introduce you guys. You'll probably get along well with her, MJ, she seems really smart – like you."

The girl unaccountably blushed, and hid it by turning her attention to the burger and fries in front of her – but she was smiling, Peter saw.

OOOOOOOO

"Aren't we supposed to be letting _him_ call and check in with us – so he doesn't feel like we're helicopter parenting?"

Stark shrugged.

"I want to see how his preliminaries went."

She didn't look convinced.

"_And_ you want to check on him."

"Maybe. I never told him that I _wouldn't_ call and check on him."

Pepper joined him in their bed – still mostly dressed – and scooted close to his side.

"Ready."

Tony picked up his phone and had Friday send the call conference style – just so he could make sure Peter looked healthy. Not because he missed his face, or anything. It had been less than a day, after all.

A moment later, Peter answered, smiling and looking cheerful. Ned poked his head into the picture, also, and a moment later (after some urging from both boys) MJ did, as well.

_"Hey Tony."_

He smiled.

"Hey. How did prelims go?"

_"We did great."_

"Yeah?"

_"Ask our genius team captain,"_ Peter said, turning his head to MJ, who was smiling and blushing just a little.

_"We did well,_" she confirmed. _"Peter did a good job catching a trick question about carbon atoms, and Ned was brilliant – as usual."_

Ned preened over Peter's shoulder.

"Glad to hear it. Did you eat?"

_"We're eating, now."_

"Something _healthy_?" Pepper asked.

_"Burger King,"_ Ned told her, before Peter could say anything._ "It's right across the street from the hotel."_

"The hotel has a continental breakfast, though," MJ added. "Breakfast should be a bit healthier."

"Good. Are you having a good time?"

_"Yeah."_ Peter smiled, his gaze going from Tony and then to Pepper. _"Do you miss us?"_

"Who are you, again?" Tony asked, which made Ned snort the soda he was drinking – and spray some over Peter and MJ.

They both grabbed for towels, while Stark and Pepper chuckled.

"We do miss you," Pepper said. "Call if you need anything, okay?"

_"I will. Thanks. Love you both."_

"We love you, too."

The connection was lost and Pepper sighed, and rested her head on Tony's shoulder. He turned his head and brushed his fingers against her cheek.

"Another day and a half, momma, and he'll be home."

"I know."

Stark smiled.

"Look at the bright side."

"Which _is_?"

"You get me all to yourself, tonight."

He moved away from her and pulled off his shirt. Pepper smiled, and then shrugged and nodded, reaching for the hem of her blouse.

"Good point."

OOOOOOOO

It wasn't a gourmet meal, and it didn't take long for them to finish their burgers. Ned was the first done, and he picked up of their garbage and went to refill his soda.

"I'll see you back at the room," he told Peter. "I want to go see what category Mr. Harrington wants me to do tomorrow morning."

"Okay."

Peter and MJ lingered over their drinks, but not for long. She wanted to make sure everyone had plenty of sleep the night before the majority of their competition. She was taking being team captain very seriously, but that didn't surprise Peter.

"You're doing a good job as captain," he told her when they gathered up the rest of their garbage onto his tray so they could leave, as well.

MJ looked surprised. And then smiled.

"Thanks. I want us to do well."

"It shows." He didn't stand up, though. "You, uh… Is there anything I can do to help? It's still early in the season. I – _we_, that is – don't want you to burn out, trying to do it all on your own."

She shook her head, but then hesitated.

"Can I ask you a personal question, though? Without you telling _Ned_ I asked?"

He shrugged.

"Sure. What?"

"Does Natasha _always_ kiss you like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like today, when she was saying goodbye to you and Ned."

"Oh." Ned had been right, Peter realized. She _had_ noticed the kiss. "Yeah. Pretty much."

"Isn't she dating Dr. Strange?" she asked, pointedly.

"Yeah." He realized what she was asking, and shook his head. "You mean, you think that she's interested… no… Natasha is _definitely_ dating Dr. Strange and we're not… uh, you know, _involved_ or anything. She's always been like that," he added. "I think it makes her smile – because it will make me blush and she likes to try to make me blush."

"Why?"

"I think to cheer me up." He looked around, as if checking to make sure that no one could hear them. "You know I used to have a lot of rough days when I first met her and the other Avengers, right? First when I was so sick, and then when I lost May…?"

"Yes. Of course."

"If she makes me laugh, or makes me blush, then the day isn't as terrible." He shrugged. "It probably sounds dumb – or I'm not explaining it well – but it makes a bad day better to know someone is willing to do something off the wall like that just because she wants to see me smile. So she does it. And I smile."

MJ shook her head.

"It doesn't sound dumb," she said. "Not when you put it like that. It's _sweet_, I guess."

He nodded, and then cleared his throat.

"You weren't _jealous_ or anything, were you? I mean… when you were wondering if she and I-"

"What? _No._ Of course not. I was just _curious_."

Now it was MJ who was blushing, but she was smiling, too, and Peter grinned, realizing that, yeah, it was fun to make someone you liked blush – at least sometimes.

He got up and carried their tray to the garbage and then held the door for her as they left the restaurant. Walking back to the hotel in the small crowd of convention goers, and pedestrians heading back to their hotels as well, he knew that somewhere close by Voss and Stecker were matching pace with them, but Peter was relieved that he didn't see either man.

Being protected was fine when it didn't interfere with hanging out with your friends, after all, and he definitely didn't want anyone to have overheard _that_ particular conversation.

OOOOOO

"What are you doing?"

"Research, brother."

T'Challa walked into the suite and looked over his sister's shoulder. The girl was using a 3D display with two different miniature screens. He didn't recognize the boy on the screens, though – although he _did_ seem to think that he should know who the man standing beside the boy in the photo displayed on the left was. He just couldn't place him.

"For our next meeting?"

"No."

"Who is he?"

"A boy I met earlier. Before the meeting."

T'Challa frowned.

"You met him here?"

"He is on one of the academic teams. I met him after their competition was concluded this evening."

"Oh."

"_And_ he is the adopted son of Tony Stark – although he didn't tell me _that_. I had to find it out for myself."

Which was the man in the photo, T'Challa realized, now.

"Why is the son of _Ironman_ hanging out here, playing trivia games?"

"Because _he_ is allowed to be _normal_, despite his parentage."

"You are too intelligent to care about such mundane happenings," T'Challa chided.

"It is not _stupid_ to want to enjoy the company of people your own age, once in a while. I think it would be nice if someone invited me out to have a hamburger and I could say yes without having the entire country trying to analyze why I was doing it."

T'Challa didn't bother to hide his surprise at his sister's response, and he realized that she probably had a point. She didn't spend time with anyone her age at home. Mainly because she was so far advanced that the people her own age were just a nuisance to her – and to _him_.

"Do you want me to have someone contact Tony Stark and arrange a playdate between you and his son?" he asked, and _this_ time he wasn't trying to hide his _amusement_ from her, either.

She rolled her eyes, once more the fairly cheerful and confident young woman that he loved.

"Tony Stark isn't here," she told him with certainty. "We would _know_. But Peter _is_ an interesting boy."

"How so?"

"He saw me, in the competition room, even though I was concealed by my technology. He was able to practically walk right over to me."

"Perhaps you had on too much perfume."

"Or perhaps there is something about him that allowed him to see beyond the technology," she retorted. "A different kind of technology, maybe? He is connected to Ironman and the Avengers, after all. We might learn something from him."

Besides, she wouldn't mind having a friend her own age.

"Then perhaps breakfast with him?"

"_You_ would invite him?"

"If you want."

And if it would make her happy. He would do anything for her, after all.


	23. Chapter 23

A knock on the hotel door pulled Ned from the handheld video game he was playing.

"Who is it?"

There was no reply. Just another, more demanding knock. Annoyed, Ned set the game aside and walked to the door, looking at his watch as wondering who was up wanting to talk to them so early, when the competition didn't start until 9am and they hadn't even had _breakfast_, yet. He opened the door and frowned at the two people standing there.

Tall and slim, both were dark-skinned. One a younger man with short hair and a youthful face, for all that he seemed to exude authority. He was wearing some kind of ceremonial looking outfit of almost all black. The other, a woman, dressed in an interesting outfit that did nothing to hide a spectacular figure and holding what Ned thought might be a spear.

"Uh…"

"Good morning. I am seeking Peter Parker," the man told him, his English heavily accented, but still quite understandable.

"He's not here."

"This is _his_ room?"

"Uh…"

The woman said something in a language Ned didn't recognize, and the man nodded without looking at her, his gaze still on Ned.

"You are worried, perhaps, that we mean harm to your friend?"

"It'd be a mistake to try," Ned managed to get out.

The man smiled. The woman remained stoic.

"I am not interested in hurting him. I am merely here to tender an invitation to breakfast. With myself and my sister."

Ned looked over at the woman. His sister was intimidating, for sure, but Ned hung out with Natasha Romanoff, and she was equally so. The thought emboldened him, making him able to speak without stuttering.

"He's not here, right now. I can tell him you stopped by."

The corner of the man's mouth turned up in a slightly amused smile.

"That is appreciated. I will try again – perhaps _dinner_, this time."

"Yeah. I'll, um, have his people call your people. Or something."

"Does he _have_ people?"

"Sure. Do _you_?"

Now the woman seemed forced to hide _her_ amusement, as well.

"He does," she said. "_Me_."

She reminded him so much of Natasha just then that he smiled. She was exotic and hot – and Ned was a teenaged boy, well aware that there was security somewhere close at hand if things went bad. Which he didn't think that they would. The bad guys didn't come knocking on your door at 7am, did they? They came through the window at two in the morning.

"Got a business card?"

Now the man's smile was genuine and not concealed at all. The woman reached into her bodice – just like Ned's mom might have – and pulled out just that. A small card which she handed to Ned.

"Please advise Mr. Parker that I will not be available this morning, but will attempt to contact him later today."

"Yeah. Sure."

The two turned without another word and walked away, and Ned leaned out the doorway to watch them. Then he turned to look behind him and saw a man standing unobtrusively by the railing that overlooked the courtyard and the pool, but was obviously watching the duo walk away, as well. The man wasn't dressed like an Avenger, but Ned recognized him from the compound.

He'd played football with him once or twice.

He waited, but the man didn't approach him, he just continued watching the two strangers until they were gone around the corner by the stairs, and then he raised his hand and tapped his ear, lightly, and turned away from Ned and toward the room he'd walked out of. Ned shook his head and looked down at the card in his hand.

"What the hell is _Wakanda_?"

OOOOOOOO

"You should have seen this tech, Tony," Peter said, looking at the image on the tablet that he was talking to, while still managing to eat the bowl of cereal in front of him. "It was pretty cool. I didn't see her until she deactivated it."

It was pretty early and he was the only one in the room, just then. It was where the hotel staff had started setting up the breakfast that they would feed their guests, and even though they weren't officially serving yet, Peter's unassuming manner and big brown eyes when he'd asked if they minded if he waited in the room had had one of the older women setting a bowl and several different choices of cereal in front of him. Along with some fruit and a carton of milk. All of which was appreciated.

_"Why was she hiding?_" Stark asked him, curiously. _"Did you sense anything about her that made you think she was in trouble?"_

"No. She said she was with her brother – and she didn't seem to be afraid of him, or anything. Just annoyed."

_"Her name's Shuri, you said?"_

"That's what she told me. She seemed nice. Didn't set off my gut or anything."

Even though he was alone, he didn't mention anything like spider senses or the like, just to be sure no one would overhear him.

_"Well, sounds like it's harmless, but keep an eye out for her, okay? If she's an up and coming developer, I might have Pepper recruit her for the company – or maybe even for the Avengers, who knows?"_

Peter smiled at that.

"What are you doing, today?" he asked, changing the subject.

_"I am taking Pepper out to lunch and then we might find –"_ he trailed off, turning his head to look at someone off screen, just as Peter felt the tingle that told him someone was close by.

He looked up in time to see one of the agents – Voss – walk into the room from nowhere. The agent walked over to his table and sat down, holding up a phone that had an image of two people standing outside Peter's room, talking to Ned.

"Do you know these two?" Voss asked Peter.

_"Do you know them, Peter?"_ Tony asked, holding up the same image to the tablet, so the boy could see it.

"No," he told them both – but mostly Tony. "Who are they?"

Natasha leaned over Stark's shoulder, looking at Peter.

_"I don't know the woman, but the man is named T'Challa. He was just at your door, inviting you to breakfast with him and his sister."_

_"Is this the brother and sister you were just telling me about?"_ Tony asked, curiously.

"That isn't the girl I met last night, Tony. She was my age. And had _hair_."

"Do we worry about an attempt to grab Peter, Agent Romanoff?" Voss asked, looking alert.

As well he might. He didn't have a large detail with him, and Peter was his responsibility.

_"Wakanda has more money than they know what to do with,"_ Natasha said, catching Peter's eyes to see if the boy looked concerned. _"They don't need Peter. If they wanted to grab him, they wouldn't have come knocking on his door so openly. I'll alert the convention team, though. We'll want to keep an eye on things today."_

Stark muttered something to her that Peter didn't hear, and she shook her head. He then looked back at Peter.

_"We're not concerned, Peter,_" he said. _"Not enough to bring you home. We knew there was a meeting going on that we didn't know about – something that has nothing to do with the Avengers or with you. But if the king of Wakanda is there, then you need to keep an ear out for those feelings of yours, alright? If something feels wrong, call immediately and tell one of the security team._"

"Okay. What do I do if they come looking for me to invite me to lunch or something?"

_"Tell them to call me."_ Stark smiled, winking at the boy so he wouldn't be concerned – just cautious. _"I'll make sure they're not going to feed you cinnamon – or shrimp."_

Peter smiled.

"Alright."

_"Good luck with your competition,"_ Natasha told him.

"Thanks."

The screen went blank, and Voss moved away from the table just as Ned walked through the door, obviously looking for Peter. MJ and a couple of others on the team entered from a different door and several hotel guests that Peter didn't know came in from yet another door, all chatting about whatever plans they had for that day.

The breakfast hour had begun and folks were hungry.


	24. Chapter 24

Ned and Peter walked to the convention center for the morning portion of the competition by themselves. As captain of the team, MJ was charged with checking in with all of the team members to make sure they were up to speed on the schedule and ready for their portion of the categories and her next stop was Flash. Peter and Ned had immediately offered to go see if there was anything that needed set up in the main room the competition was being held in, rather than hang out with Flash.

While they walked, Ned finished telling Peter about the visitors that morning. He had simply mentioned them when they were having breakfast with the others, but hadn't been sure if Peter would want to discuss the strangers in front of everyone, and so he hadn't gone into much detail about the whole thing. He _did_ hand over the business card to Peter, who looked at it, but then put it in his pocket for safe keeping,

Now he did, and Peter told him what Natasha and Tony had told him about the man – and that the woman wasn't the girl he'd met the night before. They reached the elevator and hit the button to the 9th floor, with Ned pretty much holding his breath as soon as they entered it. Elevators were a little scarier to Ned, now, than they had been before the teams' trip to DC, Peter knew. He also didn't tease his friend about it, because he understood completely.

There were two other people in the elevator with them and Peter felt the faintest flutter of a tingle when he glanced at one of them as he reached for the right button. The man was lean and tough-looking, obviously held himself in a taut, military, bearing – even though he was wearing street clothes. Dark hair, dark eyes and an almost unnoticeable scar on his jaw. He nodded to Peter and turned away, and the boy realized that he was probably a member of the security sent by Natasha.

As Ned knew, a lot could happen on an elevator and they probably didn't want him and Ned alone in such a vulnerable spot.

Peter didn't recognize him or the other man, but when the elevator opened on the 5th floor, he immediately recognized Shuri, who stepped into the little room, surrounded by four others, who were clearly security people. Including the woman that Ned had met that morning.

"Peter," Shuri didn't hide her surprise, or her delight at seeing him. "It is good to see you, again."

The boy smiled, blushing just a little at the cheerful greeting.

"Hi, Shuri. How are you?"

"Well. Thank you. My brother tried to find you this morning, to invite you to breakfast. But you had already left your room."

Peter nodded.

"Yeah, I got up early to go check in with… with my dad."

She smiled.

"You did not tell me that your father is Tony Stark – the famous _Ironman_."

"I didn't know if you'd even _believe_ me," Peter pointed out. "It's pretty far-fetched."

The two were sincerely pleased to see each other, and apparently oblivious to the sudden tension in the small room as the security force responsible for Peter's safety sized up the security force that was clearly there to protect the girl. Neither really approved of their charge making contact with the other – much less chatting so amicably with them – but neither team had the authority over either teen to tell them to be quiet, either.

The ride was interrupted at each floor to answer a call for a ride, but no one else got onto the elevator.

Ned cleared his throat, pointedly, and Shuri and Peter both turned toward him. The boy stuck his hand out to her with a grin.

"I'm Ned. Peter's friend."

"His _people_," Okoye added, straight-faced, as Shuri took and shook Ned's hand.

"I am Shuri, Ned. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Are you having your meeting this morning?" Peter asked.

"It will be starting, soon. Your competition?"

"Yeah. It's starting, soon, too."

"We will be breaking for lunch at 1pm," the girl said. "Would you like to meet, then? My brother is interested in making your acquaintance."

"Yeah. Sure. That would be great. I'll have to ask, though – and _Tony_ mentioned that he'd want to talk to your brother. He's a little protective, sometimes."

The girl rolled her eyes with a broad smile.

"My brother is the same way. I will meet you at the tree from last night – if that is alright with you?"

"Yeah. At one?"

"Yes."

The door opened on the 9th floor just then and Peter looked up and gave her a smile.

"This is our stop. Have a good meeting."

"Good luck with your competition, Peter. Ned."

The boys got off the elevator, along with one of the security team, who waited just long enough to make sure someone was waiting to take over surveillance of the two before he headed for an empty room to make a hasty report.

"You should not be giving your schedule to strangers," Okoye chided, as soon as the elevator doors had closed and their journey to the 14th floor continued. "It is not _safe_."

"Peter isn't a stranger," Shuri told her, unrepentant.

The woman frowned, but did not argue. The rest of the ride was silent, and the remaining member of the security team for Peter left the elevator on the floor before their stop. He'd seen all he needed to – for now.

OOOOOO

"So, what do we know?"

Natasha shrugged.

"It's easier to tell you what I don't know, _yet_. We don't know who T'Challa is meeting. Or, obviously, _why_. Which makes me suspicious."

Stark didn't bother to point out that everything made her suspicious.

"You think he's up to something?"

"_T'Challa_? No. Not something that _we_ need to worry about, at any rate. He's a fairly honorable person – and the good thing about having more money than God is that it makes it hard to use it as lure to espionage or anything like that. I'm more curious as to who the other players are in this meeting – and what the meeting is about. Wakanda only has one resource that the rest of the world is interested in – and we'd definitely be better off if it stayed out of the hands of some of the more disreputable people on the black markets."

"It's not cheap, though, right?" Stark asked. "I mean, we're not looking at some small time crooks getting involved in this?"

"No. It's like ten grand a gram. Not cheap. And not something that they parcel out, very often. Which means that either they're meeting someone extremely wealthy – and potentially dangerous – or they're meeting for a different reason, entirely. Which is what has me so suspicious."

Before Stark could reply, they were interrupted by a light tap on the conference room door. If anyone wondered why Natasha and Steve were sitting I the bare room with Stark, they certainly weren't going to ask any of the participants.

"There's a message from Anderson you might want to see," the man told Romanoff. "And Miss Potts is looking for you," he added to Tony.

Stark nodded, and glanced at Romanoff.

"Anderson is team lead at the convention center?"

"Yeah."

They all got up from the little table.

"Assessment, now?"

"I'm still not worried about any of this having anything to do with Peter's presence at the center," she said, looking over at Steve, who nodded his agreement. "I think they were looking for an out of scope place to hold a meeting, and Syracuse is certainly that."

"So you don't think we need to pull him?"

"No."

"But you don't really believe in coincidences, right?"

She smiled, and shrugged.

"You know me so well."

"Yes, I do." And he was glad that he did. "Let me know if there's anything I need to worry about, okay?"

"You know we will. You'll be with Pepper?"

"Yeah."

"Have a safe drive."

Stark smiled.

"Thanks."


	25. Chapter 25

"_Peter is calling."_

Stark smiled, his hold on Pepper's hand tightening just a little.

"Bring him on."

The heads-up display in the car suddenly showed Peter's face, with a little of the room behind him. Tony thought it might have been wherever he was competing, since he saw a lot of people milling about.

"_Hey."_

"Hey. Everything okay?"

He didn't look upset or concerned – just a little excited.

"_Yeah. We're taking a break in between rounds."_

"How's it going?" Pepper asked, letting him know that she was there, even though she didn't want to crowd into the picture to be seen.

Especially not while Tony was driving.

"_Good. We're ahead. MJ has everyone in form – even Flash."_

"Glad to hear it."

"_I saw Shuri in the elevator, earlier,"_ Peter said. _"She asked me to lunch with her and her brother. Can I go?"_

Tony frowned.

"No one has called me."

"_Their meeting was starting – she said she'd have him call."_

"Any idea who they're meeting _with_?"

The boy shook his head.

"_I didn't ask. Please?"_

Even the big, brown eyes on the video were hard to ignore, and Tony didn't even bother.

"As long as lunch is at the hotel or in the convention center, you can go. Unless I hear something and call you back to say otherwise. Fair?"

The boy smiled, and Stark found himself echoing that smile without even realizing it.

"_Yeah. Thanks, Tony. What are you guys doing?"_

"We're out for a drive. The weather is beautiful. Too bad you're stuck inside."

"_I'm having a good time, though,"_ Peter assured him.

"I'm glad. Call me later, and let me know how lunch went, okay?"

"_I will. Drive safe."_

"Of course." His hand tightened once more on Pepper's. "I've got precious cargo, right?"

"_Yeah."_

The connection ended.

"He looks like he's having a good time," Pepper said.

"Yes. He does."

They had only passed a couple of mile markers before Friday chimed, again.

"_Unknown caller. Number is registered to the kingdom of Wakanda."_

Tony looked over at Pepper.

"_They_ must be having a break, too," he said, "Bring it through, Friday."

The video was of a woman. Not the one in the photo he'd been shown earlier, but still a handsome woman with graceful lines about her face and neck, and what looked to possibly be symbolic patterns decorating the little jewelry that she wore.

"_His Majesty, T'Challa, King of Wakanda is requesting, formally, a conversation with Tony Stark."_

"That's _me_," Tony said, with much less pomp than the caller was using.

It made Pepper smile.

The woman moved aside and in her place stood the man from the photo taken outside Peter's door that morning. He was younger than Tony by far, and handsome, Pepper decided. She could see him, even though she wasn't showing on the screen – so he couldn't see her.

_"Mr. Stark?"_

"Tony, please. You're King T'Challa?"

The young man nodded, and smiled.

_"Please call me T'Challa."_

"Okay. I understand you were looking for my son, this morning, T'Challa."

If he was surprised that Tony knew, he didn't show it. But he probably wasn't surprised. If he was a king, then he understood how security worked.

_"I was. My sister, Shuri, met Peter last night and wanted to see him again, so I decided that he be invited to share a meal with us."_

"Why?"

The king couldn't help but look exasperated.

_"Because she is sixteen and a Princess and I didn't want her sneaking off behind my back. This way I have a chance to meet him, and make certain that he is not a threat to my sister."_

"Fair enough." Tony was so glad Peter wasn't a _girl_. He couldn't even imagine trying to raise a teenaged girl. "He just called a few minutes ago asking if he could have lunch with you."

_"That is why I am calling, as well."_

"You're not going anywhere away from the convention center?"

_"No. A private lunch in a secure room."_

"We have security on him, now."

_"I am aware. They may have a presence at the meal, if you would like."_

"I'd prefer it," Stark admitted. "Not that I don't trust your people to look after him…"

_"I understand,"_ T'Challa assured him. _"It is the same for my sister. If you give me a name for your security contact, I will have my people expect contact from them, or will initiate contact – whichever comes first."_

"Anderson," Tony told him. "I'll have him call this number, if that is alright."

The king nodded.

_"Thank you."_

"You're welcome. No nutmeg and no cinnamon," he added. "Peter's allergic."

_"I will make certain of it."_

The connection ended.

"He seems nice enough," Pepper said. "For a king, especially."

"Yeah, he does. I'll be interested in meeting him."

OOOOOOO

"So, you're going to ditch us for a _princess_?" MJ asked, smiling slightly to assure Peter that she wasn't feeling jilted.

He shrugged, but was also smiling. He was in a good mood. He'd talked to Tony and Pepper, the team was winning the competition and he was going to have lunch with a king. _That_ didn't happen every day. Even when your dad is Ironman.

"Pretty much."

"She's probably got a pretty tight schedule," Ned said, sagely, as they seated themselves back at the table to get ready for the next round. "Since Peter wasn't available for breakfast, it'll have to be lunch, or nothing."

"Where's Wakanda at, anyway?" MJ asked. "I've never heard of it – and I didn't find anything when I googled it."

Proving that she'd looked. Which didn't surprise either of the boys.

"It's in Africa," Peter told her. "Near Uganda. And there's not a lot anywhere about it. They've been isolationists for pretty much as long as they've been around."

"How did _you_ find that out, then?" she asked, curiously.

Since he couldn't tell her about the Mind stone, he just shrugged, again.

"Tony."

"Ah."

She and Ned started clearing research aids and talking to the others on the team, but Peter was ready for the next round. He was finding it a bit tricky to be in the decathlon; the Mind stone was always lurking close to the edge of his consciousness and was wiling to give him an answer if he didn't know it. Well aware that it was blatant cheating, Peter wouldn't use that assistance. If he knew the answer before the Mind stone provided it, then he'd ring the bell and answer. If he didn't know the answer, but then he _did_ know because of the gem, he would stop himself from ringing in, and allow the other members of his team – or the opposing team – to answer, instead. It was harder for him that way, but it was fair – and he wanted to be fair.

And he really wanted to still be on the team. It was the only way he could balance it, since the Mind stone wasn't going to stop giving him answers.

"What does a king have for lunch?" Ned asked, obviously still thinking about the upcoming meal – even though he wasn't invited.

"Not _shrimp_, I hope," MJ said, playfully, looking at Peter.

He smiled, and shook his head, accepting the teasing – especially since he deserved it. Funny now, but he was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to eat shrimp for a while without feeling a little ill just from remembering how sick he'd been.

"I hope not."

Probably not peanut butter and jelly, either, though. He'd have to wait and see.


	26. Chapter 26

Shuri was standing by the tree waiting for Peter when the morning round of the competition ended - late. Standing beside her, not bothering to look unobtrusive was one of the guards who had been with her in the elevator that morning. The girl smiled when he walked up.

"Sorry about that," he said, quickly. "They don't always finish when the schedule says they're supposed to."

"I do not mind," she said. "It gave me a chance to watch the competition. Do many schools have these teams?"

"Some. I guess it depends on the school. We've been doing these competitions for a while, as far as I know – even though this is just my second year."

"It was interesting to watch." She gestured to the woman standing beside her. "This is Okoye. She is general of the Dora Milaje."

"What does _that_ mean?" Peter asked, curiously.

"It means I am responsible for the security of Wakanda and her people," Okoye responded.

Peter smiled, deciding – like Ned had before – that she was very similar to Natasha. Confident, beautiful and seemingly very sure of herself. He liked her, immediately, and his spider senses didn't give him any reason not to – which was even better.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Ma'am. What do I call you?"

The woman was not willing to be won over by good manners and a set of big, brown eyes, but she _did_ find that she couldn't be quite as distant as she usually was when confronting a stranger. Perhaps because she had read all the information her security team had found on Peter Parker, and she was aware that he had suffered many heartbreaking tragedies in his young life and seemed to be rising above them.

"You may call me Okoye."

"You can call me Peter," he countered with a smile. "If you _want_ to, that is."

"Thank you." She looked at Shuri. "The King is waiting."

"We're not too behind, are we?" Peter asked as they headed for the door, Okoye leading the two teens.

Most of the participants had already left, along with the small audience that had been watching the competition, so they didn't have to fight much traffic.

"Our schedule is more flexible, this afternoon," Shuri assured him. "We are fine."

Outside the room there were two more people waiting. Both were obviously security people. One was one of the guys that Peter had seen on the elevator and he knew that this man wasn't Shuri's security, but was _his_. The other fell into step beside Okoye, and they all moved down the hall toward the elevators, the Wakandan security leading the way, then Peter and Shuri, with Peter's security trailing and watching for anyone who might try something on the small group from behind.

"Lunch is on the top floor," Shuri told Peter as all five entered an elevator and a look from Okoye stopped anyone else from joining them. "You will be presented to my brother, T'Challa, and the others, and then we can act like normal people."

"Do I bow to him?" Peter asked, curiously.

She smiled.

"That is not necessary. We have many formalities and ceremonies that are traditional, but that is not one of them."

"Have you met a king, before, Peter?" Okoye asked the boy.

He shook his head.

"Met an Elvis impersonator, once. That probably doesn't count, though."

The Wakandans didn't understand the reference, but behind Peter the lone Avenger security officer did, and his snort of amusement told Shuri that Peter had attempted a joke – which made _her_ smile, too. She'd look up Elvis later, to see why the comment was so amusing.

"You will like my brother," she told him. "He is a good man."

"I'm looking forward to meeting him. Ned told me that he seemed pretty laid back – for a king, and all."

They fell silent as the door to the elevator opened once more, and the Wakandan security led them out into what was a single large room, with doors leading off to several smaller ones. There was a table set in the middle of this room, with another table along the wall, holding several metal containers that Peter recognized were for holding hot foods. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious.

The room had fifteen people in it. All were Wakandan except Peter and his security person, and of them, more than half were women, dressed similarly to Okoye. The women watched him with varying degrees of suspicion and interest as he was led over to the table, where the man from the photo that he had been shown earlier had been sitting at the head of it, but now stood as he approached.

Okoye spoke before anyone else could.

"His royal majesty, King of Wakanda, T'Challa." She turned to T'Challa and gestured to the boy who had stopped in front of him. "Peter Parker."

Which didn't sound anywhere near as magnificent as T'Challa's title did, Peter decided, wryly. The king must have noticed his expression because the man smiled and offered Peter his hand.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Parker."

"Oh. Yeah." Peter shook his hand, surprised that he'd been offered it, but reacting quickly enough to avoid any insult that might have come with a hesitation. "You, too, um… your majesty?"

T'Challa's smile grew.

"Just T'Challa, please."

"Thanks. I'm just Peter."

"Have a seat, please."

He gestured to the table, and Peter sat down, feeling a little awkward, despite the king's obvious willingness to be informal. Shuri sat beside him.

"I spoke with your father, this morning," he told the boy. "At his request, there is no nutmeg, or cinnamon in the preparation of the meal, but since we were uncertain what you would like, it was suggested that we have a buffet, to allow you the chance to choose what you want to eat and avoid forcing you to eat something you do not want, just to be polite."

"Thanks," Peter said. "That's nice of you."

"Let's get something to eat, Peter," Shuri suggested, standing up and reaching for his hand to pull him up as well. "If I know the look I see, he is going to be asking you many questions about yourself, and you might as well have a full stomach when you respond."

T'Challa smiled at the impudence and waved the teens away, watching with Okoye standing beside his chair as the two went over and picked up plates and started poring over their choices. The convention center had provided two servers to dispense drinks – alcoholic and non – and in case anything ran out and they needed to order more food.

"He seems likeable," T'Challa said, softly.

"He is a teenaged boy," Okoye pointed out.

"Which means?"

"He should be watched, _carefully_."

"Because of security?"

"Because your sister is a teenaged _girl_."

Which only made him smile, more, despite the truth in that statement.

OOOOOOOO

Peter had a good time, despite the fact that he was eating lunch with a King and a Princess – and the security force that comes along with it.

T'Challa was a charming host, who started the meal exactly as his sister had suspected; with a lot of questions about himself. The king had been well briefed on the boy before even meeting him, and knew about the loss of his parents when he'd been younger, and more recently the loss of his aunt, which had eventually put him in the care – and subsequent relation – to Tony Stark. These were things of record, and events that he avoided with his questions. He was trying to make Peter comfortable, not trying to pry or bring up painful memories.

So the questions had been about his school – his favorite subjects and that sort of thing, and the competition, and his friends.

For his part, Peter was open and honest, and answered the questions put to him willingly.

It was the first time T'Challa had ever spent so much time with a boy since being one himself, and never so long with an American. He found that he could come to like the boy, and that led him to asking him what he planned to do with himself when he grew up.

"As Tony Stark's lone heir, they must be grooming you to take over the company when he retires?"

Peter smiled, and shrugged.

"I don't know about that," he admitted. "I've watched Pepper working the business side – and have spent plenty of time with Tony in his workshop. I like the tech side of things, but I know that the business side is just as important."

"Has he made you an Ironman suit?" Shuri asked, curiously.

"No." Peter hesitated. "I don't want one."

"You don't want to be like him?" T'Challa asked, surprised.

So far, everything that he'd heard from Peter made him think that the boy loved and admired Tony Stark.

"I _do_. But I can't be Ironman," Peter pointed out. "I can only be Peter Parker." He realized he wasn't making a lot of sense. "Your father was a king, before you, right?"

"Yes."

"So you wanted to be King, too. To take care of your people? But _T'Challa_, not King T'Chaka. Same thing with me. I can't be _Tony_, but I can be like him and try to follow in his footsteps to make the world safer."

T'Challa frowned.

"How did you know my father's name?"

The boy hesitated, realizing that the name had never come up – although the Mind stone had shared plenty – probably more than the king would be comfortable with.

"The Avengers," he said. "I have access to their network, and looked you up when Ned mentioned that you came by this morning. I'm sorry if I overstepped. I just-"

"You did not," T'Challa interrupted, holding his hand up to stop the apology. "It just surprised me. I am aware of the Avenger network, and it is formidable."

"Tell me about living with the Avengers," Shuri asked, turning the topic a little. "Is it exciting? Have you met Thor? Or Captain America?"

"Both," Peter confirmed. "Steve – _Captain America_, that is – has quarters two doors down from mine. I see him all the time, and sometimes I take care of his puppy, Jack, when he's out on assignment."

"And Thor?" T'Challa asked, unable to stay his curiosity.

Even a King could be interested in a god, after all.

"Oh, yeah, _he_ doesn't live at the compound," Peter said. "I've met him a couple of times. Once he came to my aunt's birthday party… and then he, uh, came to the compound and stayed for a few days. I was sick, so I didn't really spend much time with him – but he's a pretty interesting person."

"It is amazing to think of another world," Shuri said. "But Asgard is real."

"Yeah. And impressive."

"You've been there?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. Once. For a few hours."

"It has a comparable atmosphere to earth?" T'Challa asked.

"Yes. Similar gravity, too. I didn't take any pictures – I wish I had."

"As do I," Shuri agreed. "It must have been amazing."

"It was," Peter agreed. "What's Wakanda like? Is it a desert land, like the Sahara?"

"No." she smiled. "A person hears Africa and thinks sand, but Wakanda is beautiful. Mountains and valleys, green plains with animals of all kinds, rivers, streams and waterfalls that cannot be described."

"Have you seen zebras?" Peter asked, curiously.

He wasn't going to assume that she had, since he'd been wrong about the sand.

She wasn't the only one to smile.

"Many. So many they cannot be _counted_. As well as the other animals one can expect to see on an African Serengeti – wildebeest, antelope, gazelle."

"And the predators that hunt them," T'Challa added. "Lions, cheetahs, leopards and panthers."

"Sounds amazing," Peter said, sincerely. "I'd like to see it someday."

"Perhaps you can," Shuri said. She smiled. "I think you would be surprised by Wakanda, however. We are _far_ more advanced than some would believe."

"Yeah. I know. All the more reason to see it, really."

Shuri glanced at her brother.

"A deal, perhaps?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you introduce me to Captain America some day, I will invite you to Wakanda and show you a zebra."

T'Challa frowned, but before he could say anything, Peter nodded.

"Done."


	27. Chapter 27

Peter had finished his lunch, and dessert, and had about decided that he didn't want to wear his welcome out with Shuri and her brother and was considering calling it a day, when there was a knock on the door that led to the hall. When the Wakandan security guard at the entrance opened the door, there was a brief conversation that they couldn't hear, and then the security person admitted a man into the room.

Sharply dressed in an expensive looking suit, his gray hair slicked back in a $500 haircut that was practically glued to his head by an excessive amount of gel, the man was accompanied by two others – obviously security of his own. He walked across the room, heading for T'Challa without doing more than giving the guards around the king more than a cursory glance.

Peter felt the first stirrings of tension in his stomach since he'd met any of the Wakandans. A tension that immediately grew into a tingling that refused to allow him to ignore them. He glanced at Shuri, but she only smiled at the newcomer, and a look at Okoye said that this wasn't a stranger. The guard looked alert, but not at all concerned.

He watched as T'Challa rose from his seat and walked over to meet the man, embracing him, warmly, and speaking to him in a soft voice. Too soft for Peter to hear what was being said – although from the expressions on their faces, they were amicable.

"Who's that?" Peter asked, quietly, trying to figure out why his guts were screaming at him when the King obviously knew him.

"Gerard Poole," she whispered back, watching the exchange. "He was a friend of our father's."

The man said something else to the king, and then left, again, taking his security people with him, and T'Challa went back to the table.

"I apologize."

Peter shrugged and felt the tremors in his stomach fade. He had no doubt at all that Gerard Poole was someone who bore watching, but he also had no way to tell the king or Shuri that without them asking why he would think such of a complete stranger.

"It's okay." He looked at his watch, and realized it was later than he had initially thought. "I should probably go," he said, apologetically, as well. "The last round is going to start in an hour and I need to make sure I'm set. Thanks for lunch. This was really great."

T'Challa smiled.

"It was nice to meet you, Peter."

"You too." The boy glanced at Shuri, hesitating. She had invited hi, too, and he wished that there was a way to thank her for that courtesy. "If you want, the last round is usually the most interesting. The _questions_ are, anyway. There's always some extra seats in the spectator's area."

"You mean I could watch?"

"Without hiding in the fake trees," Peter confirmed, smiling. "If you have time, that is."

Shuri looked at her brother, who rolled his eyes. He'd already bent a dozen rules of Wakandan protocols, and now he was certain another was ready to fall. A Princess had better things to do with her time than sit in a darkened room with an audience just to watch a trivia game. Even if it was one that was dominated by people her own age.

"When will it start, Peter?" T'Challa asked the boy.

"5:30," he replied. "It would be over by 8:00 and then all that's left are the awards given out in the morning session."

Shuri smiled.

"I would like that very much. Thank you for the invitation."

"You're welcome. I'll see you later?"

"Yes."

The boy nodded to the others as he got up, and his own security force – all one of them – followed him to the door and walked out with him.

Shuri smiled.

"I like him."

T'Challa frowned.

"Like him, _how_, Shuri? He's not a noble and he is not _Wakandan_."

"He's intelligent and well-mannered, brother," she pointed out, starchily, getting up as well. "It is a relief to talk to someone my own age, for a change. It is a bonus that he is _cute_."

With that final parting shot, she left the room with two of the security people flanking her. T'Challa sighed and leaned back into his chair.

"That one will do anything to annoy me."

Okoye raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps she remembers well how much her brother used to tease her when they were children?"

"It is a brother's job to pick on a little sister," he replied, wisely.

"And a little sister's job to remember."

OOOOOOO

Peter and Anderson were the only two in the elevator. The Avenger security agent didn't say anything to the boy when they left the lunch, but that didn't bother Peter. He knew the man was focused on what he was doing, and didn't need to be distracted by a teenager. He raised his watch and hit a button. A moment later, Ned's voice came over his communications link.

_"Are you done?"_

"Yeah. Where are you?"

_"At the lobby on the convention center's 9th floor. We're just doing last-minute quizzes, if you want to come join us."_

"Yeah. I'm going to run over to the room and change, first." He'd managed to spill a glob of butter onto the leg of his jeans, and of course it looked like a giant greasy blob, now. "I'll be there in a bit."

_"Okay."_

This also let the security guy know what he intended to do, and while the man did step out of the elevator with him, he didn't walk out of the convention center. He didn't need to. Peter was certain that there was someone watching within close range as he went across to the hotel. Just in case something happened.

He didn't mind. He was in a really good mood and filled with an excellent lunch. Besides, Shuri was going to hang out and watch the finals of the competition, and he smiled, thinking that she'd probably enjoy it. Peter hadn't actually quizzed her, or anything, but he got the impression that she was pretty smart, herself. And not just because she'd had that cool tech with her the night before. Any idiot could turn on a TV, but not everyone could build one, and he had a feeling that _she_ was a builder.

Speaking of, he wanted to check in with Tony and Pepper before the final round started, too. Peter jogged up the stairs to the third floor of the hotel and went around the corner toward his door, cheerful. He almost wished that Tony and Pepper were there. If he could invite _Shuri_, he could have invited _them_, too. They hadn't ever been to a competition for the academic team, so unlike the other parents, they might have been interested in seeing how it worked.

Maybe he'd see if they wanted to go to the next one.

Smiling at that thought, as well, he pulled his keycard from his pocket and felt the slightest tingle of warning as he opened his door. Not an alert that something was _wrong_, but the heads up he received when he knew he wasn't going to be alone.

He wasn't surprised, then, that there was someone sitting at the desk in the room, and someone else sitting on the edge of the neatly made bed. He _was_ surprised, however, when he realized that the two intruders were Pepper and Tony.


	28. Chapter 28

Tony was the first to speak, raising his hand from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Now, before you say anything, we're not _spying_ on you."

"What?"

"And we're not _worried_ about you, and we _trust_ you and we aren't being helicopter parents…"

"Um… okay."

"We've never seen a competition, and we were in the car, anyway – and the gas tank was full."

Peter looked over at Pepper, who was sitting in the only chair in the room, beside the desk, and she smiled – a mixture of amusement and apology. Both she and Tony were wearing casual clothing; jeans and a polo in her case, and a t-shirt with an unzipped sweatshirt in his. He pushed the door closed behind him.

"It's okay."

Tony stopped.

"Yeah?"

"Sure. I was just thinking about you guys, really."

"You were?"

"Yeah."

The desk was closest, so he stepped up and hugged Pepper, who stood up to meet the embrace, her hand pressing his cheek against hers.

"Are you having a good time?" she asked him, holding him for a long moment before releasing her hold on him – only after brushing a kiss against that same cheek.

"Yeah. We finished the morning round ahead, which makes the others happy – _and_ makes MJ look good, since she's captain – and I just came back from lunch with T'Challa and Shuri. I was planning on meeting up with Ned and the others to do some quizzing before the final round."

"And we can watch the final round?" Tony asked, standing up and pulling the boy into a hug, too. "I called and asked, and the principal said parents are _allowed_, they just don't usually come."

"Sure."

"You won't even know we're there," he assured Peter, letting him go and then sitting back down on the bed. "We're going to sneak in unannounced and I didn't bring the foam finger to wave or anything."

Peter smiled at that and sat down on Ned's bed.

"Okay. Shuri will be there, too, I think."

"What's she like?" Pepper asked, curiously.

"She's pretty smart. And nice."

"And _pretty_?" Tony asked, waiting for the blush.

It didn't come.

"Yeah. She's… exotic. Like the women who guard T'Challa. They're called the Dora Milaje."

"All women?" Pepper asked, wondering if it was a harem type situation, but not asking, specifically.

She didn't know anything about Wakanda, either.

"No. There are men, too. I-"

"What's _T'Challa_ like?" Stark asked, interrupting.

"He's nice, too. Or, at least, he was nice to _me_. Wasn't really formal beyond the initial introductions – he even shook my hand. He's pretty young, too, for a king."

Of course, he was the first king that Peter had actually met, but he'd seen a million movies and knew what a king was supposed to look like.

"Yeah, I saw that when I talked to him about you going to lunch with them. Did you ever find out who they were meeting with?"

"I didn't ask," Peter admitted. "But a man walked into lunch and really set off my gut. When I asked Shuri who he was, she said that he had been a friend of their father's, and he and T'Challa hugged."

"His name?"

"Gerard Poole."

Pepper frowned.

"_Gerard Poole?"_

"Yeah." Peter nodded. "You know him?"

"I've never met him, but I've heard of him. He's a high end importer. Mercantile; textiles, ores, diamonds – you name it, if it's on a different continent, he'll get it over here if there's money to be made by doing so. There are plenty of rumors about illegal smuggling, as well as legitimate trade; exotic animals, ivory, furs… that sort of thing."

"Sounds like a winner," Tony said. "I suppose the king of an African nation would be just the kind of friend a smuggler dealing with ivory would love to have."

"Wakanda is isolated," Pepper reminded him. "They might not know what he does – and they _are_ just _rumors_. People spread a lot of rumors about _you_, too, you know?"

"Yeah, but those rumors are probably _true_," Tony said, winking at Peter and making Pepper roll her eyes. "I'll send Romanoff a heads-up, just so she knows that Poole's in the area. She hates a mystery, you know that."

"Yeah."

"Okay. You go do what you're going to do with your friends," Tony told him, stretching. "Pepper and I are going to wander over to the convention center and find your competition room so we can get good seats."

"In the _back_," she added. "Where you won't even know we're there."

He smiled.

"I have to change. I spilled."

He gestured to the smudge on his jeans, and Stark shook his head.

"Can't take you anywhere," he said, ruefully. "A born slob."

Peter just smiled, and gestured to the bed Tony was sitting on.

"My bed's made, though."

"It's a start." Tony stood up and offered Pepper his hand. "We'll see you in a little while."

"Okay."

"Good luck," Pepper said as they left the room and closed the door behind them.

OOOOOO

The others were still in the lobby on the 9th floor when Peter joined them, once more dressed in clean clothing. He walked over and sat on a bench next to MJ, who smiled a greeting.

"How was lunch?"

Peter shrugged, nonchalantly.

"Seen one king, you've seen them all…"

She wasn't the only one to smile at that. Flash scowled, but the others thought it was funny.

"What did you have?" Ned asked, curiously, as Peter reached for one of the research books.

"It was a buffet," he said. "A lot like the place we have brunch – only Tony spoke to T'Challa and told him no nutmeg or cinnamon, so no French toast or anything like that."

"No weird African food? Like water buffalo or something like that?"

Peter shook his head.

"I don't think so. It was from the convention center menu, probably."

"Too bad."

No sense eating with foreigners if you were just going to have a burger, after all.

"It was good," Peter assured him. "What did you guys eat?"

"Mr. Harrington found an Olive Garden down the road. We had Italian," MJ told him.

"Cool."

They continued the interrupted quizzing, and Peter turned his attention to the physics book that he'd picked up. Right before the competition was about to restart, he felt a tingle about the same time that the others fell silent, and looked up to find that Shuri and her brother were both walking toward the group, a small security detail following in their wake.

"Is that the king?" MJ whispered before they got close enough to hear.

"Yeah."

He stood up and Shuri and T'Challa stopped in front of him.

"Are you ready for your competition?" Shuri asked, smiling at Peter, and then at Ned.

"As ready as we can be. Are you both going to watch?"

"My sister has convinced me that it will be well worth watching," T'Challa replied. "I look forward to the action and drama."

"There isn't a lot of either of those things," Ned told him.

Ned was undaunted by the fact that he was speaking to a king. He'd met the man before, after all.

"But it'll still be fun," Peter said.

He looked at the others, wondering if they would feel awkward being introduced to a king right before their match, and decided that it would be rude not to do so – and hoped T'Challa didn't mind. Peter introduced each of his teammates to both Shuri and to T'Challa, using just their first names to keep things as easy as they could, and each eagerly greeted the King of Wakanda – even though none of them had ever heard of the country until that day.

"Good luck in your competition," T'Challa told them when the last introduction was made. "Peter? A word, perhaps?"

"Yeah."

They walked a little to the side of the group – followed only by Okoye, who was watching everything around her as intently as Natasha might have. Shuri was engaged in an animated conversation with Ned and MJ – obviously impressed with both of them and enjoying a chance to spend time with people her own age.

"I received word on our way up that your father is here," the King of Wakanda said, softly, once they were out of earshot.

"Yeah. He and Pepper – that's my mom, well, not my mom, _yet_, but will be when she marries Tony. They came up to surprise me and to see the final round."

"They are in the event room, then?"

Peter shrugged.

"They said they were going to be. Tony promised to keep things low-key, so I don't know if they're in there, yet, or not. They might go in after everything starts – to keep people from seeing him and distracting everything else."

Of course, having T'Challa and his entourage arrive would probably have the same effect, Peter decided.

"I would like to meet him – and your mother-to-be. Would you be willing to introduce us?"

"Sure. Now?"

"If that is convenient? I can wait until after the competition, if you would prefer."

"No. It's good. I know Tony wants to meet you, too. Let me go see if-"

"They are in the very last row," Okoye stated, not looking at either of them.

Peter decided that she probably had an earbug like the Avengers who didn't use the communication watches had.

T'Challa made a gesture toward Shuri, who had been watching her brother while talking to the others, and she excused herself and then walked over to join them.

"Peter is going to introduce us to his parents," T'Challa said when she walked up. "Interested?"

"In meeting _Ironman_? Duh."

Peter smiled at the way T'Challa almost rolled his eyes – but not quite. He liked the way that the two of them interacted and wondered if all siblings were like that. Since he didn't have any, he wasn't sure, obviously.

He turned and headed for the small auditorium and led them into the room. Sure enough, he saw Tony and Pepper seated in the back row of chairs, right on the end – Tony on the end, Pepper safely tucked beside him. Behind them, standing against a wall, unobtrusively, was one of the Avenger security team.

Okoye went to stand by him, where she could watch everything play out without being in the way, and Peter silently went up behind Tony and put his hand on his shoulder, causing both Stark and Pepper to look up, surprised.

"T'Challa wants to meet you," he said, softly.

"Perfect."

Standing, both of them turned to the King of Wakanda and his sister, with Peter standing between the two couples.

"Tony? Pepper? This is King T'Challa of Wakanda and his sister Princess Shuri. T'Challa? Shuri? This is Tony Stark and Pepper Potts." The boy smiled over at the two. "My mom and dad."


	29. Chapter 29

Tony smiled; his heart leaping with happiness at the casual way Peter had so willingly just claimed him and Pepper, and because it was expected when being introduced to someone. He offered his hand to T'Challa, first.

"It's a pleasure," he said. "Still _T'Challa_? Or do we need to be more formal face to face?"

"T'Challa, please, Tony."

"Good." He then turned his considerable charm on the girl standing beside the Wakandan king. "_You_ are just as pretty as Peter said you were, Shuri. It's nice to finally meet you."

She blushed, but her smile was amused. More at herself for succumbing to his flirting – and because she was being such a fangirl. She couldn't help either, though. It was _Ironman_, after all – and everyone likes being told they're pretty.

"It is nice to meet you, as well, Mr. Stark."

"_You_ can call me Tony, too," he assured her. "Whatever you're comfortable with. My fiancé, Pepper," he said, repeating the introduction that Peter had just made.

Shuri offered Pepper her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Pepper."

"And you, Shuri," Pepper replied, smoothly. She met important and rich people all the time, so she was just as good at the social graces as Tony – better really. "How are you enjoying your visit?"

"It is very pleasant, thank you."

Pepper turned to T'Challa, who took her hand and brought it to his lips, formally – although the smile in his eyes was just as sincere as the one on his face.

"Peter did not mention how lovely you are, Pepper."

She smiled.

"We'll have to work on him a bit more."

The boy smiled, too, watching the meeting with interest. An academic competition might not be the first choice of places for the King of Wakanda to meet Ironman, but it was definitely unique. But the circumstances didn't allow for a lot of time for small talk.

Unaware what was happening in the back of the room, the moderator and the judges began calling for the contestants to start taking their places.

"I have to go," Peter told them, apologetically.

"Good luck," Shuri said, smiling. She looked at Pepper. "May we sit beside you to watch?"

"Please."

Pepper waved at Peter as the boy left them, but Tony and T'Challa were now studying each other.

"Stick around after the competition," Stark suggested as Shuri seated herself in the chair beside Pepper. "We'll have a drink or something and get to know each other a little."

"I would like that."

T'Challa took the spot beside his sister, settling on the padded folding chair as easily as he might sit on his throne, and Tony reclaimed his chair on the end of the row, his arm going around Pepper, who was watching as Peter and Ned took their places next to their teammates.

"How often do they have these competitions?" Shuri asked her, curiously.

"Usually once every month or so – then, if they win enough throughout the year, then they go to the regionals, and then finals."

"Peter's team won the finals, last year," Tony added, just like any proud father might.

"Do you have anything like this in Wakanda?" Pepper asked.

"No," Shuri said, softly, to avoid annoying the people who were settling in front of them. As Peter had told her, the room wasn't filling up. There were not a lot of spectators at the event. "This weekend is the first I have heard of them. It is very exciting."

They would have said more, but the match started – the first question being a science one, and a _tricky_ one, at that. Peter rang in before anyone else, and Tony decided that his quick reflexes probably would allow him to get to the bell before anyone, if he knew the answer. Which, in this case he did.

No one cheered, or even clapped when the moderator announced the answer was correct, so _Tony_ didn't, either, but he wanted to do both. Pepper smiled beside him, because she knew he did and was impressed at his restraint. She reached for his hand and held it while they watched as the competition continued.

OOOOOOO

Like the one that morning, the evening final took longer than planned. And finished with Peter's team well ahead by the end of things. There was polite clapping when the moderator announced the winners and the two teams shook hands, amicably, before separating to go join coaches, other teammates and the few parents that were there.

Peter stopped long enough to tell his teacher where he was going, and then he and Ned headed toward the back row, where Tony and the others with him were still sitting, allowing the small crowd to begin dispersing before they got up. Everyone stood when the boys arrived, though, beaming, and Tony pulled Peter into a rough hug, reaching over to tousle Ned's hair at the same time.

"Good job, guys. Congratulations."

Peter grinned, letting Tony go in order to hug Pepper.

"Thanks."

"They sure made it easy," Ned said, smiling when Pepper hugged him, too.

"Right?" Tony agreed. He looked over at T'Challa who frowned when Shuri excitedly hugged Peter, too. "Peter and Ned are math and science wizards. They might as well have started the question with '_which one of you two wants to answer this one_…?'"

"They were more difficult than I expected for such young participants," the King admitted, forced to be impressed by how easily the answers had been coming from both teams.

Clearly the students weren't as backward as he'd assumed them to be. Which wasn't his fault, really, since he only had Shuri to use as a comparison to other teens, and she was beyond brilliant.

"Yeah, they try to trick us, sometimes," Peter said, grinned. He looked at Shuri. "The convention center arranged a bit of a party – just refreshments and music – on the top floor. Want to come?"

She nodded, belatedly looking at T'Challa.

"May I?"

He hesitated, but Peter stepped forward, Shuri's hand in his own.

"I'll keep an eye on her, T'Challa," he promised, emboldened by the victory and the moment.

T'Challa was not swayed by the boy's sincerity – _or_ his big brown eyes – but there was no mistaking the hope in his sister's expression, and _her_ brown eyes were much harder for him to resist. Clearly, she wanted to spend time with other kids her age, and was finally getting that opportunity. Intelligent kids, even – which was rare for her. He looked over at Stark, who shrugged but didn't try to tell him what to do.

It was his sister, after all.

"Fine. But do not leave the convention center."

"I will not."

"That goes for _you_, too," Tony told Peter. "Let me know if you're ready to leave – or even better, come join us." He looked at T'Challa. "Do you have a place? Or do I have my people find us one?"

"We have a reception room the center has made available to us." He turned to his sister. "Join us on the third floor by 10:30."

She looked like she might argue the early curfew, but Peter didn't give her a chance.

"We will," he agreed, pulling her behind him and slapping Ned's shoulder.

The three were out the door in a flash, followed by the Avenger security agent, and a Wakandan who was waved over from an unobtrusive spot along a far wall by Okoye, who was planning on staying with T'Challa.

"He'll watch her," Stark told T'Challa as they also headed for the door, Tony taking Pepper's hand in his as automatically as breathing. "So, tell me about Wakanda. What do you guys do for fun there?"

OOOOO

It wasn't a great party. There was music being piped in through the convention center's overhead intercom system, but it wasn't very contemporary, and certainly nothing that the teenagers from either school were interested in listening to. Luckily, they didn't _have_ to. Ned and one of the tech geniuses from the other school got together at a control panel MJ found behind a small fake plant and they spliced a few wires and connected an old i-pod to the sound system. The music was much better – and louder – after that.

There was a table of refreshments of all kinds. Drinks – all nonalcoholic – and sandwiches, vegetable trays, chips, pretzels, popcorn, and candies were on a table under the sound system, and there were several tables for them to sit at if the kids didn't want to dance.

Which most of them did _not_.

"You do not dance?" Shuri asked Peter, once the music had been sorted to their liking and she noticed that none of those in the room made any attempt to make an impromptu dance floor.

He shook his head.

"Not well."

"He _slow_ dances pretty well," MJ corrected – which made Peter blush, and made both girls smile. "He just doesn't have the rhythm to do anything else."

Shuri looked at Peter, who nodded his agreement.

"She's right. I can't dance."

"I could teach you," Shuri assured him. "I happen to be a fine dancer. It is a tradition with my people."

The Wakandan princess stood up, pulling Peter with one hand and Ned with the other and gesturing for MJ to join them, as well. Several of the others joined them, interested, and in less than fifteen minutes they were all swaying to the music with varying degrees of success.

Ned embraced the lessons, immediately, of course. He had the rhythm, he just didn't have the moves to back it up. Peter had the natural grace and coordination that his spider abilities gave him, but no matter how many times Shuri corrected his technique, she had to admit that he looked just plain awkward.

"Don't feel bad," MJ said to her, swaying in perfect imitation of the dance that Shuri was attempting to teach Peter and a few others. "I've tried. Some guys are just brains and not athletic."

Which made Shuri smile. She patted Peter's shoulder, consolingly.

"I have not given up on you, yet, Peter."

Phones came out, and people started taking selfies or group shots. All of them wanted Peter in their pictures – he was known to be Tony Stark's son, after all – but they also wanted the exotic princess in them, as well. Ned photobombed everything he could, dragging MJ and a couple of his teammates into the shots as well. Flash went to the party, but he didn't stay long, being unwilling to mingle with the kids that he considered idiots and unable to convince Shuri that he was interesting, as well.

It was a lot of fun, but the time went by sooner than expected and Peter looked at his watch, regretfully.

"It's getting close to 10:15," he said to Shuri over the music. "We'd better get you back to your brother."

She nodded, and went through the crowd, saying her farewells to the new friends that she'd made and hugging MJ and Ned, both, promising to get their information from Peter and telling them that she would keep in touch, if they wouldn't mind.

"Are you coming back?" Ned asked, Peter.

"Probably not," he replied. "I'll see what Pepper and Tony are doing. If they're staying over, I might spend some time with them. I'll see you back at the room, later."

"Okay."

Peter and Shuri left, and both the security people – one Wakandan and one Avenger – who had been watching them all night followed at a discreet distance behind them.

"I had fun, Peter. Thank you for inviting me."

He smiled.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you came."

"Do you get many opportunities to spend time with people your own age?" she asked. "Living with the Avengers, I imagine you see many more adults than teenagers."

"Yeah…" he trailed off, because he was suddenly feeling that tingle of warning that made him hesitate and look around, concerned. "The only time I really see anyone my age is at… school. I suppose-"

"What is wrong?" she asked.

"Hold up a second…" he put his hand on her arm to keep her from moving, and suddenly jerked both of them backwards, responding to an inner prompt that he felt but she didn't.

His free hand shot out just in time to catch something that went whizzing by his ear, and the same time he did, he saw the Wakandan guard and the Avenger guard both crumple to the ground in silent heaps.

"Shit!"

Grabbing Shuri, he pulled her behind him, automatically looking for cover, the dart in his other hand dropping to the ground, just as they both heard a series of muffled explosions coming from somewhere several floors below them.


	30. Chapter 30

_A/N : So, just a reminder that this is (obviously) an AU, meaning that really all I do is pick the things I like from canon in order to play the characters the way I want to so I can fit them into my tales. With the addition of T'Challa and Shuri, I wanted to make a few things clear so there's no confusion about who is doing what and where. The Winter Soldier and Civil War things, for the most part, didn't happen. That way Steve and Tony are good to go with being friends and Bucky is not in Wakanda or quite ready to show up in my stories at this time. The Avengers don't know much about Wakanda as of this story – they're all learning about each other, still. Hope that helps, and hope you're still interested in the story. (and I see the surgeon Wednesday, so we will see how the leg is healing then – thanks for the kind thoughts)_

OOOOOO

"So, what do we know?"

Romanoff sighed, and looked at the screen in front of them. It was showing a man in a sharply pressed and well-tailored business suit, with gray hair slicked back and styled with a lot of hair product.

"This is Gerard Poole. He's 58, head of Poole Imports. The company is a monster in the import/export trade, but there is a lot of money flowing through their accounts that doesn't have a paper trail as far as we've been able to find – and there are a lot of unsavory rumors about smuggling and trafficking."

"So, the money's being laundered but not as fast as they're making it?" Clint asked, sitting on the edge of the table rather than in a chair. "And obviously they're not making it _legally_."

He had come back to the compound when Natasha had asked him – just in case they needed him – or the jet, and was being brought up to speed on everything that they'd been able to find. Not only about the secret meeting – which wasn't much – but also the unknowns at the convention who were much too close to Peter and the kids, as far as any of them were concerned.

"Right. Not all of it, anyway."

"So what does the King of an isolated country that has more money than they need want from someone with a reputation like that?" Steve asked, frowning at the picture – as well as a photo taken just that afternoon of T'Challa hugging the man.

"We're not sure," Romanoff admitted. "The expression on T'Challa's face doesn't exactly show him looking as happy as he was acting in the room when our agent saw them together and took the picture. It might be more strained than we know – especially since we don't know much."

She didn't need to set the pointer to the King of Wakanda's face, but she did, and both men agreed that the smile on his face didn't exactly match the expression in the man's eyes.

"We still have eyes on him?"

"No, our agent lost him in the underground parking garage – and as far as we know, he didn't leave the area. We're still watching him – and watching the other participants."

Steve nodded.

"You'll keep us updated?"

"Yes."

OOOOOOO

The convention center went all out for the King of Wakanda. Far more expansively than they did for the small group of teenagers from the high schools – no matter how brilliant they were. The room that T'Challa and Okoye led Pepper and Tony to was similar to the lounge at the compound, only much more opulent and extravagant.

There was a buffet meal waiting for them, or the option to eat something from the menu, and an open bar with two barkeepers watching over it and the guests from Wakanda – and now, of course, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. The room had a few tables and T'Challa, Tony and Pepper went to one in the corner when they arrived in the room. They decided to order off the menu, and while they waited for their dinner Pepper and Tony listening with interest as the King gave them a description of his country that few had ever been allowed – and a dissertation of the past that even _less_ knew about.

Including a description of the metal that made the country so wealthy – both financially and technologically.

"It sounds like an amazing place," Pepper said, smiling a thank you to the bartender who brought her a cup of coffee once they had finished eating what had been a very fine dinner.

"It is _beautiful_," T'Challa told her, with pride that he couldn't hide and didn't bother trying. "My people thrive, and they do not want for anything."

"I'd like to see it, someday," Tony said, amicably. "Especially if your tech is as good as you say it is. Steve Roger's shield is made of vibranium, and we know how amazing it is."

The king smiled.

"That is thanks to my sister. She is very much responsible for the advancements made to our technology the last few years. With the help of the vibranium technology, she has made our country even more prosperous."

"I'm very impressed with her," Pepper told him. "She was whispering the answers during the competition, although I'm sure I was the only one who could hear her. I think she was just eager to play along with the others."

T'Challa's smile was still proud, because he was obviously proud of the sister that he loved very much.

"She has little time to spend with people her own age," he admitted. "And little patience for those who are dull-witted. I would say she finds your son to be a kindred spirit."

Now it was Stark's turn to beam with pride and pleasure.

"He-"

"_Boss! Signal jammers det-"_

Stark looked down at his watch and the alert that had been started, but not finished.

"Friday?"

There was no answer, despite the fact that Tony hit the button twice, and then he frowned and hit a different button on the communicator.

"Anderson?"

There wasn't a response to that, either.

"What's going on, Tony?" Pepper asked, catching his worried expression instantly, of course.

"I don't know." He looked at T'Challa. "Are your people using frequency jammers right now?"

"No." The king frowned. "We have the technology, of course, but we-"

He was interrupted by Okoye, who stepped up to the table, looking concerned.

"I have lost contact with our security forces."

"Lost contact, how?"

"No signals are going through. It appears to be a jammer, of some sort."

"Tony?" Pepper was nervous, now, and not for herself. "Peter and the kids…"

If there was something going on, her immediate instinct was to feel a threat to the children. Not just Peter – but especially Peter, since he was such a tempting target.

Stark stood, as did T'Challa, and both men tapped themselves. There were twin looks of shock when nothing happened. Tony's Ironman suit didn't activate and T'Challa had clearly expected something to happen, as well.

"Something is definitely going on," Tony said, pushing Pepper to the floor under the table and then tipping it so the top was blocking her from the door and any threat that might come from that direction. Only then did he head toward the door, with the Wakandan king right behind him, and then beside him. "Pepper, stay down! Keep trying to-"

An explosion suddenly ripped through the room, beginning at some point behind the bar and followed immediately by another from the other side of the small group. Debris flew everywhere; glass from shattered bottles and mirrors, wood from the walls and the bar that disintegrated in seconds and twisted metal from everything else along that side of the room.

An alarm started blaring, fire alarms and sprinkler systems reacted immediately, soaking the prone forms that littered the room as well.

OOOOOOO

"What's going on, Peter?" Shuri asked, breathlessly, as suddenly there were fire alarms blaring from all directions and the building seemed to shudder a moment before settling once more.

"I don't know." He raised his watch to his face, even as he pulled her behind a heavy planter and pushed her to the floor behind it as he felt another of those silent warnings. "Tony? Tony?"

Shuri tapped her wrist at the same time.

"Something is jamming my signal," she told him.

"That must be what's going on with mine, too," he agreed. He tried to activate the web shooters on his wrist – they weren't anything but nano tech and couldn't be blocked, but _they_ didn't activate, either. "Crap, _nothing_ is working."

"For me, either."

They heard voices coming from the stairwell behind them, an echoing nose, and Peter pulled her to her feet and pushed her into the closest doorway – which led to a billiard room, with two tables and several pool cues, as well as a bar.

"Get behind the bar," he ordered her in a whisper as he scurried over to the closest table and grabbed several of the balls. They were just smaller than baseballs, but much heavier, and at the moment, they were the best option that he had available to them.

He saw Shuri peeking over the bar at him, and made a running leap, diving over the heavy wood just as the door was thrown open with a mighty kick and two men with guns appeared in the doorway.

His spider senses roaring at him that they were a danger, Peter didn't wait for any conversation or threats. He threw one billiard ball at the closest man with all his might, and right after the first one, he released a second. Both men tried to move, but were way behind, and the boy's aim was true. They dropped as if shot, their guns clattering to the floor next to them.

The two teens waited to see if anyone else was coming, but after a moment, Peter grabbed Shuri's hand and pulled her out from behind the bar, listening with his ears and also listening for his gut to tell him it wasn't safe to move.

"Shouldn't we grab their guns?" Shuri asked as he led her by the two men and out the door, both breathing, but definitely unconscious.

He hesitated, and shrugged.

"I've never shot one. Have you?"

"No."

Well aware that he was more of a danger to himself than anyone else if he had a gun in his hand, he kept moving without stopping for the weapons.

"Come on. We've got to get someplace safe and find out what's happening."


	31. Chapter 31

"What the hell was that?"

Ned shook his head, raising his hands to his ears when the fire alarm started beeping at them. A quick glance up showed that the sprinkler system wasn't going to go off – which was a plus.

"I'll call Peter and see if he knows," the boy said to the others. "It's _okay_, guys. Whatever it is, Tony Stark is here, and he's _Ironman_, remember? No one would be dumb enough to do anything to cause trouble. It's probably just a hot water heater or something."

He raised his wrist closer to his head, but if there was a reply to his call to Peter – and then to Tony – he didn't hear it over the fire alarm.

"Do we stay here?" MJ asked.

"We can't go anywhere, if it's a fire," one of the Baylor students said, pushing his glasses up, nervously. "The elevators will be disabled and this place has fire safety barriers – walls that drop to keep a big fire from spreading. We wouldn't be able to get out through the stairs."

"How do you know that?" one of the girls asked.

"I looked up the schematics of the place before we came."

Ned walked over to a window, followed by the rest of the students.

"I don't see any smoke," he said. "If there was a big fire, it'd be all over the place. Peter and Shuri know where we are. I think we just stay here until someone comes for us – unless things start looking dangerous. Then we get out. Okay?"

They murmured their agreement, and just to be sure, Ned shut the door and the group put some wet towels close at hand.

OOOOOOOOO

"We've got a problem," Natasha said, walking into the lounge to join Steve and Clint, who were standing at the bar waiting for an update.

"What kind of problem?" Barton asked, knowing immediately that it was serious.

"Voss just reported a pair of explosions at the convention center. I can't get in touch with anyone on the security team – or Tony, or Peter."

"How bad of an explosion?"

"There's damage to the third floor – as near as they can tell from _external_ observation. We can't get anyone in, though."

"What?"

Stephen Strange suddenly walked into the lounge, the cloak of levitation on his collar and a concerned look on his face.''

"What's going on?"

"There's an explosion at the convention Center," Natasha repeated. "We can't get hold of anyone inside the building – and there appears to be some kind of forcefield or barrier of some sort keeping our guys from going in."

"What?" Steve frowned. "Who's doing that?"

"We need to get there and find out." She looked at Strange. "Will you try the GPS spell and see if you can locate Peter or Tony? Something is jamming communications, as near as we can tell."

"Of course."

He waved his hand, but nothing happened.

"I can't lock onto it. The magic part is working fine, but the technology we incorporated into the spell isn't catching. Whatever has your communications is almost certainly affecting my ability to locate them."

"Can you jump in?" Clint asked.

"I can't jump where I haven't been without a spell," Strange reminded him. "If you get me close, though, I'm sure I can get by whatever is holding your people back."

"We're 15 minutes away by jet," Clint said, already heading for the door.

The others followed.

OOOOOO

They barely made it down a small stretch of the hallway when Peter's senses screamed at him to stop, again. He did, inadvertently pulling Shuri to a stop as well and taking them both back to the floor to hide behind yet another enormous fake plant.

"Will you _stop_ doing that?" she complained, rubbing her arm where it had contacted the pot.

"Shh! Someone's coming."

"Do not shush me, Peter," she snapped, a mixture of fear and anger rising to the forefront. Fear because she didn't know what was going on, and anger because she was used to having her technology at hand and felt useless without it. "I am a princess."

"Yes," a cold voice said, drawing their attention to a doorway in front of them. A man stepped out, holding a gun on the two of them. "You _are_ a princess. Which is the whole idea…"

Shuri looked shocked. Peter wasn't. The man holding the gun was the one he'd seen earlier. Gerard Poole. With him were two others – also holding weapons.

"Gerard!"

"Get up, Shuri."

All three had the guns trained on the girl, then, and she moved to do as he ordered.

"What are you doing?" she asked, confused. "What is happening?"

"Get up, boy," Poole said to Peter. "And don't try anything stupid. I would prefer her _alive_, but it isn't entirely necessary. Make a move and I'll kill her. Got it?"

Peter nodded, dropping the two billiard balls that he'd been holding.

"Yeah."

"You're Stark's boy. Right? _Peter_?"

Peter nodded, watching as one of the other men grabbed Shuri and spun her around, holding her tightly with an arm under her throat.

"Well, if there's anything left of him, maybe we'll ransom you back to him."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked.

The man smirked.

"If things went according to plan – and so far they certainly _seem_ to have – then T'Challa's dead. If your dad was still in the room with him, then he's probably not going to be in any condition to pay me any ransom. We won't know for a while, I suppose, but anticipation can be exciting, can't it?"

Peter felt his face go cold, and then hot. Pepper was with Tony, as far as he knew. If Peter couldn't activate his web shooters, there was every reason to believe that Tony couldn't activate the Ironman suit. He'd be a sitting duck – and so would Pepper.

"You're _lying_."

"I never lie, boy," Poole told him. "T'Challa's dead. Blown to _hell_. Which means little Shuri here is the only claimant to the Wakandan throne that I need to worry about. I get rid of her – or maybe _marry_ her off to someone suitable – then I'll have access to all the vibranium in the world."

"This is about _money_?" Shuri asked, trying to struggle her way out of the grip of the man that was holding her so tightly. She couldn't bring herself to believe what he was saying about her brother, and so was forcing herself to focus on the other things that he was saying. "My father _trusted_ you! He gave you access to things that-"

"Your father was a _fool_," Poole interrupted. "Like your _brother_ was. I expect _you_ to be smarter. As smart as they all _think_ you are. We're going to leave here, and we'll make our way to a quiet place where you and I'll have a couple of long talks about the future of Wakanda and her riches. We'll take your boyfriend here, too. Maybe we'll amuse ourselves watching the news and counting how many pieces of Stark they find when this is all over."

Peter had had enough.

A slow fury was building up inside him. A hopeless anger built from sorrow and hurt at the thought that he'd only found happiness and this man in front of him had taken it away. Or claimed to. And was laughing about it. He could feel the Mind stone on the edge of his consciousness and could feel the glee that the man holding Shuri was experiencing. Could feel the smug confidence of the three men – Poole in particular. He knew that if they left the convention center with them, he and Shuri would be as good as dead, too – and her death wouldn't be pretty – or quick.

Without Pepper and Tony, Peter wasn't sure if _he_ cared about surviving – but he knew that he had to make sure Shuri lived.

Silently, he reached for that wellspring of power that was within him. The power that he didn't control, but that the Mind stone would control for him if he let it – which he was willing. He glared at Poole, who seemed to realize that a balance somewhere – somehow – had shifted. A look in Peter's eyes, maybe, since the boy was never able to hide his emotions like the Avengers around him seemed to do so easily.

"Watch yourself, son," he warned, bringing the gun around to point it at Peter. "Don't even _think_ of doing anything stupid. Or worse, _heroic_."

Peter didn't bother to say anything. Heroes made one-liners before they killed the bad guys, but Peter didn't have anything to say.

The wave of power that surged out of him was enormous, laced with grief and fury. Several spells flashed through his mind as he moved his hands. He didn't stop to think about any of them, but he knew that it wasn't Dr. Strange's mind that the Mind stone was using as a source of knowledge, this time. It was Wong's face that came to the foreground in his thoughts as he released the spells.

There was a loud crack, a flash of pain that seemed to tear right through him, and a burst of red energy that slammed into all three men, simultaneously, knocking them all back as a yellow force appeared and grabbed hold of Shuri and engulfed her in a wave of power that absorbed the red surge and ricocheted it back to slam once more into Poole.

All three men went down, thrown to the side like ragdolls; the arm around Shuri suddenly as lifeless as the man it was attached to. She was jolted aside by the power that to her seemed to come out of nowhere, and as she watched, shocked, Peter sank to the floor, as well.


	32. Chapter 32

The outside of the convention center was bustling with activity. First responders; fire trucks, police, ambulances, were all milling about, trying to get inside to do their jobs, but none could get by the invisible barrier that kept those inside from getting out, and the ones outside from getting in.

Luckily, due to the lateness of the day, there _weren't_ a lot of people inside. When the Quinjet arrived on the scene only fourteen minutes after the bombs had gone off and several sonic booms later, Clint was forced to land in an empty parking lot. Natasha was constantly in radio contact with Voss, who was outside of the convention center trying to get in touch with anyone on the inside, and also speaking with the police and the rest of the people in charge to advise them that whatever was going on had nothing to do with Tony Stark being in the building, but that no, they hadn't heard from him, any more than the convention people had heard from their own.

Before they landed, they flew once around the convention center building, trying to take readings of the inside, but the jet wasn't capable of passing that jamming problem, either. It wouldn't matter, though, they had a solution for it – they just needed to get inside.

Romanoff, Clint and Steve caused a bit of a flurry when they came up to the building's entrance with Strange beside them.

"Any word?" she asked Voss, watching as Stephen walked a little to the side, looking into the glass walls of the first floor.

He could see inside, now, and could make a jump in, but she knew that he wouldn't want to do it with so many witnesses – and she didn't want to have to try to explain the magic, either.

"No. We haven't heard from anyone. Stark and Pepper were last seen on 3 with T'Challa and his security. We have a small wedding party on 8 that was wrapping up and only the caterers were left inside. There's a cleaning crew trying to get out one of the service exits and Peter's group was last heard from on 14. According to the kids that didn't stick around, they were having a party, so it's likely that they were still on 14 when everything happened, so they're probably fine, but could be anywhere by now."

"Yeah."

They'd be curious what was going on and would probably go look. _Peter_ would, anyway, she was certain.

"We can't get in – it's some kind of barrier. And _nothing_ is working inside. We're not even sure if the fire suppression system is working – although the fire department says they don't see any indicators of any serious fire in the area where the explosions happened."

Romanoff nodded, pushing her hand against the air by the open door and feeling the barrier that was stopping them from getting inside.

"It's nothing we have, Steve," she said to Rogers as Strange walked back to join them.

"It's not _magical_," the sorcerer told them, softly. "And I don't know if I can get the barrier down, but I have no doubt I can get inside. I assume you'll want me to take some of you with me?"

"How many can you handle?"

He moved away from the others, taking Steve, Natasha and Clint with him.

"If I jump in, I can make a portal and we can get anyone in. I just don't want to be seen doing it."

"We're pressed for time."

"Take a pair of goggles and go up into one of the rooms in the hotel," Steve suggested. "You can get eyes on somewhere interior, and jump yourself and a couple of us in, then we can go from there."

They didn't bother talking about it further, they just headed out, doubling back and doing just that. Strange didn't even need binoculars to see into the room across the expanse from the hotel; the lights were on, illuminating an open lobby on the second floor – as well as the 3rd floor.

"Preference?"

"Tony's on three."

He nodded and a moment later all four of them were in the convention center's 3rd floor lobby, hidden from any view of the outside by the copious amount of fake plants and trees. There was no doubt that the fire suppression system was working; there were sprinklers raining water down on all four of them and alarms going off.

Romanoff took a small device out of her pocket and triggered it.

"What's that?" Strange asked, looking around.

Steve and Clint didn't wait. The area that they were in didn't show much sign of damage – other than the water – but down the hall, they could already see signs of interior damage, and a body sprawled on the floor in the middle of some debris.

"EMP generator. No moving tech, can't be jammed, but it'll destroy whatever signal is blocking all of the rest. It might just take a minute." She set it on a ledge, and then turned and followed the others, with Strange by her side.

OOOOOO

"What was that?"

Ned looked at MJ, his eyes wide.

"That was a _gunshot_."

"How do you know?" one of his teammates asked. "It could have been a discharge of electricity from-"

"I've seen a million movies," Ned interrupted, moving toward the door and opening it, peeking his head out to look into the hall. "I know what a gunshot sounds like."

"Do you think everyone's okay?" MJ asked, worried.

Meaning Peter and Shuri, in this case.

"Yeah. Sure." He didn't sound convinced, though. He looked back at the others. "I'm going to go look."

"No," one of the Baylor kids, disagreed. "We should stay here and wait for someone to come. You-"

"You stay here," Ned said. "I'll be right back."

He'd made a _promise_, after all, to watch Peter's back. Maybe if something was happening, his friend might need his guy in the chair looking out for him.

"I'll come with you," MJ told him.

"Okay. Yeah."

They opened the door a little more and slipped out into the hall, trying to hide behind the large fake plants and trees that lined every corridor in the convention center.

OOOOOO

Shuri stared in shock at the sudden turn of events. One minute she was being held, and threatened – and told that her brother was dead – and the next minute everyone around her was on the floor, not moving. Including Peter, who had ended up on his stomach, knee drawn up under his side and a small pool of crimson spreading underneath him.

Shocking, yes, but she was quick to force that down. She dropped to the floor beside him, her hand going to his shoulder.

"Peter!"

He gasped, which made relief flood through her. She'd been certain he was as lifeless as the three men on the floor nearby seemed to be. Her hand tightened on his shoulder, a quick glance telling her that there was no injury to his back. Meaning that if he _had_ been shot - and she was certain that he had, the bullet was still inside him, because there wasn't an exit wound. He opened his eyes, but they were dull with exhaustion and pain, and she wasn't completely sure he even knew she was there.

"You will be alright," she assured him, pulling carefully on the shoulder she was holding, to roll him onto his back.

He made a soft moaning sound and closed his eyes. Shuri made a distressed noise of her own when she saw the front of his t-shirt was soaked with blood. She pulled her scarf off and pressed it against the wound, which was bleeding terribly. The flimsy fabric wasn't going to do much to staunch the blood, she knew, but she didn't see anything else that she could use.

Peter's hand came up to cover hers, smearing her with crimson.

"Are you okay?" he asked, not opening his eyes.

His face was so pale, and she could feel his heartbeat fluttering under her hand as she pressed as hard as she could against his chest.

"Yes. You will be, too."

He took a couple of gasping breaths.

"It's okay," he whispered, and she saw a tear trail down his cheek. "I'm… it doesn't matter… not if they…"

"_Peter!"_

Shuri looked over and saw Ned and MJ rushing toward them.

"He has been shot," she told them as they threw themselves down beside her and Peter. "It is bleeding badly and I cannot-"

"I got it," Ned said, pulling off his sweatshirt and moving her hand away from Peter's chest to press the much more substantial fabric over the scarf and using the sleeves of the garment to tie it around Peter as carefully as he could before exerting much more pressure on the injury than Shuri had been able to apply. "We've got to get help." He looked at MJ. "Take my watch off, MJ. Keep hitting the left button and calling for Mr. Stark."

Someone had to be out there.

OOOOOO

The splintered remains of a wall were the first indication of the damages that they were going to find. Steve knelt down beside the man in the hallway and checked a pulse as the others headed for the doorway the man had obviously been tossed out of. A Wakandan, he was bloody and battered, and drenched from the water spraying down on them.

"He's alive," Rogers reported, looking for something dry to cover him with and unable to find anything.

"Steve!"

He turned as the others pelted into the room, and followed.


	33. Chapter 33

The room was chaos. Splinters and chunks of debris were everywhere – although concentrated near the door. Furniture was overturned – or broken – and bodies seemed to be everywhere. The first two they came up to were closest to the door, but still somewhat toward the middle of the room, and Natasha and Clint knelt down between Tony Stark and T'Challa.

Both men were bloody, soaked and bruised – and neither made a sound.

"He's alive," Clint said, his hand at the king of Wakanda's neck.

"So is Tony," Romanoff reported, running her hands along his sides, wondering why he hadn't activated his suit. He _had_ to have had time. "He's pretty beat up, though."

Obviously, he and T'Challa had taken the brunt of the debris from the explosion – if not the _force_ from it. Or _them_. It did look like there had been two explosions. Strange knelt down beside Tony, as well, and Natasha left Stark to him, knowing he was in the best of hands. She stood up and looked around. Two more people – both women in ceremonial garb with a definite African pattern – were on the floor close by. A quick check found both alive, which was incredible considering the amount of damage in the room.

"Anderson's dead," Clint reported, crouched down beside the agent's body. He frowned, then, and looked at the over-turned table somewhat to the rear of the room. And the delicate foot that he suddenly could see barely sticking out from behind it. "Oh, no…"

Barton moved quickly, pushing the table aside and kneeling down beside Pepper, who was sprawled awkwardly behind the minimal protection that had been offered by the overturned table. She was unconscious, a number of small scratches marring her pale face, but the archer found the pulse that he was looking for and she made a soft, pained, noise when he touched her cheek. She didn't wake, though.

Suddenly the radio on Anderson's shoulder came to life, proving that the EMP generator had finally done its job.

"Pepper's alive, guys," Clint reported.

"We need to get these people to medical attention," Strange said, reluctantly standing up and leaving Stark's side. "I know the compound, best."

Romanoff nodded.

"We have two surgeons there, now, and more were already being called in – just in case."

"I'll help," he assured her, turning his hands and making a portal appear. One that led directly into one of the medical waiting areas at the compound. "Make your calls and-"

"_Mr. Stark? Can you hear me?"_

He turned with the others, everyone looking at the watch on Tony's wrist.

"That's _MJ_," Steve said, reaching for Tony's hand and carefully pulling the watch off of Stark's wrist.

"MJ?"

"_Mr. Stark – Steve?"_

Her voice was hopeless and frantic.

"Yes. Where are you? Are you guys alright?"

"_No! Peter's been shot, and there are dead guys all around us."_

"Does he have his watch on?" Strange asked.

"Is Peter wearing his watch?" Steve asked, trying to keep her calm by using a calm voice.

"_What?"_ There was a pause. "_Yes_."

"Tell her to keep everyone against the closest wall," Strange told him, already triggering the spells that would find the boy's GPS tracker on his watch and create another portal.

Steve passed on the command, while Clint headed through the portal to the compound, already shouting for doctors and medics to get assembled and grab gurneys and to be ready for multiple traumas.

OOOOOOO

"Why does he-"

Suddenly it looked like the air in the middle of the hallway was on fire, and the fire continued to grow into an impossibly large ring. Equally impossible, a moment later Dr. Strange and Natasha Romanoff walked through the ring, and sank down immediately at Peter's side.

MJ and Shuri were both staring, another shock added to what was already so many they were having trouble processing them. Ned, however, only looked relieved. He was still pressing against Peter's side, his hands bloody and expression scared.

"He hasn't opened his eyes or said anything," the boy reported, as Strange gestured for him to move aside. "Shuri said that he said something to her, but it wasn't much."

"He was shot?" Romanoff asked, looking at the three men on the floor, and recognizing Gerard Poole as one of them.

All three had guns near at hand, but were clearly not going to be a threat.

Shuri nodded, the calm confidence of Natasha Romanoff reminding her immediately of Okoye and helping her regain a little composure.

"He saved my life. They were after me."

Natasha nodded, her hand reaching down to cup Peter's cheek while Strange started working to stabilize him.

"You're Shuri?"

"Yes." She looked down at Peter, and then at Natasha. "My _brother_… they said that there was an explosion. Is… is he…?"

"He's _alive_," Strange told her, cutting Ned's sweatshirt away except for the part that was pressing on the wound. Several rolls of bandages appeared from nowhere and he had Ned hold the sweatshirt in place while he started wrapping the bandages to hold the sweatshirt where it was more firmly than Ned's cobbled together attempt. "They're taking him and the others to the Avenger's compound for medical treatment."

"But-"

"Which is where we're going, too."

Natasha turned to MJ.

"Where are the other kids?"

"Back down the hall."

"Anyone hurt?"

She shook her head.

"No."

Romanoff nodded.

"Stephen? Take Peter. I'll get the others out the old-fashioned way."

"I want to stay with Peter," Ned said, his hands smeared with his friend's blood.

"As do I," Shuri told them, trying to make it a command, but too scared and shell-shocked to be able to make it sound like more than a worried plea.

Romanoff nodded, and turned to MJ, putting her hand on the girl's arm.

"Take me to the others," she ordered her – before MJ could argue that _she_ wanted to stay with Peter, too.

If Natasha could, _she_ would stay with Peter, as well. But someone had to see to the safety of the others, and she wasn't a surgeon – and the last thing the surgeons would need is another worried person underfoot at the compound.

The girl nodded, wiping her eyes, and stood up. The moment they were turned away, the three remaining teens and the doctor were all gone.

OOOOOOO

Now it was the compound that was bustling with activity. With the weekend, there had been an exodus of non-essential folks who had gone home, or had left for the weekend. When Romanoff had heard of the explosions, she's automatically activated emergency protocols that had brought medical staff running from every corner of the compound as well as wherever else they may have been.

It was the whole point of being on-call, after all.

They'd divided themselves. A team under Dr. Adams was working on Tony Stark in one surgical room. Another team was working on T'Challa in the room beside that, and Strange had the other room to work on Peter, with a large team of skilled nurses and PAs to assist him. In another room, Pepper, and the three Wakandan security people were also being tended to, but none of their injuries were life-threatening and none required surgery. Some stitches, a lot of bandages and a cast here or there for the most part.

Ned had cleaned himself up, had called his mother to keep her from worrying and had received permission to stay where he was overnight – with an agent to drive him home in the morning. Now he was sitting in the waiting room, alongside Shuri – who had told Steve the succession of events that had led up to Peter's wounding and everything that had been said.

"Gerard told us that my brother and Peter's parents had been in an explosion and were dead," she said, wringing her hands, unconsciously. "He said he would ransom Peter back to Mr. Stark – if there was anything left of him to call – and that he was going to make use of me to gain access to the throne of Wakanda."

Steve nodded, brushing his hand along her shoulder, supporting her as well as he could.

"The preliminary word on your brother is that he's going to be fine," he assured her. "How did you escape?"

She had a lot more trouble explaining that. Mainly because she didn't understand what had happened and could only describe what she'd seen. Ned and Steve both figured that Peter had used magic, but both were surprised that the men had actually been _killed_. Peter usually managed to find a way out of a situation that kept the blood from his hands – figuratively if not literally. Not that Steve blamed him. It was a lot easier to use lethal force against overwhelming odds, and if Peter had thought that Tony and Pepper were dead, he might not have been willing to bother saving the men responsible.

Everyone had a breaking point, after all. It was clear that the men had found Peter's.

"We've set up guest quarters for you to use while you're here," Rogers told her. "Ned can show you where they are."

"Thank you." She gave him a tight smile. "I will stay here until I have further word of my brother, but then would appreciate a chance to get some rest. It has been a long day."

"Yeah."

Steve left Ned and Shuri to their wait, and went into a different room. This one was more of a briefing room – although it, too, carried the aura of a waiting area. Romanoff was in this room, leaning against a wall and watching the commotion in Syracuse on a TV screen.

"Any word?"

"No other injuries," she told him, not turning her head from the screen. He already knew that the barrier had dropped, and one of their guys had found the device that initiated it and had brought it to the compound to be examined. "Peter's teacher and the driver will be plenty to keep the kids in line – and obviously security isn't an issue, any more."

"Have we heard anything from Stephen?"

"No. Tony checked out. Broken ribs, a lot of cuts and bruises and a concussion. T'Challa's the same. Both are lucky to be alive. Looks like whoever set the bombs turned them the wrong direction and the force went through the wall and out into the hallway instead of tearing the room apart."

"Lucky." He stood beside her, quietly, aware that her thoughts were a lot further away than Syracuse, just then, with Peter in surgery and Strange the one working on him. He reached out a hand to touch her elbow, drawing her attention to the screen. "Anything I can do?"

Natasha gave him a smile. A worried one, yes, but it reached her eyes and reminded him that she was beautiful.

"No. It's just hurry up and wait, right?"

"Yeah."

He leaned against the wall beside her, unwilling to allow her to wait alone.


	34. Chapter 34

Beeping woke her. An annoying noise that was loud enough that it could be heard without straining to hear it, and yet soft enough that it didn't make her head hurt. Didn't make it hurt more than it already _did_, that was. Pepper sighed, realizing that she couldn't go back to sleep with the noise in her ear like it was, and then wondered as she opened her eyes why she was _asleep_, anyway. She didn't remember going to bed.

She found herself staring stupidly at the ceiling, trying to figure out why her bedroom was so well lit when Tony knew that she preferred it dim to make it easier to sleep. Then her foggy mind advised her that it wasn't _her_ ceiling, and wasn't _her_ room, which made her blink a few times and look around. _That_ hurt, and she groaned, bringing her hand up to press against her temple, trying to still the pain.

"Easy, Pepper."

She frowned, surprised to see Ned sitting beside the bed she was in.

"Ned?"

"Yeah." He nodded, his expression more worried than she'd even seen it as far as she could remember. "How do you feel?"

"I'm a little sore," she admitted. "What's going on? Where is everyone?"

"They're around," he told her. "Someone needed to sit with you, and I asked if it could be me."

Which made Pepper smile and reach for his hand with one of hers. She spent a lot of time with him, especially during the drives on Friday when she was the one to pick him up from school to take him to the compound – or when he'd come to the tower and hang out there until she was ready to go home. He was intelligent, enthusiastic, and sincerely one of the nicest people she'd ever met.

"That's nice…"

He nodded, and she was surprised to see a tear trail a wet path down his cheek. Her expression changed to concerned, and he wiped his eyes with his free hand and sniffed.

"Sorry."

Pepper pulled his head down against her shoulder and held him, and she realized that he was shaking. She didn't know if it was cold, or fear, or what, but as she comforted him, her mind was beginning to clear and she suddenly had a moment of panic. She wasn't supposed to be in bed. She was at the convention center. Something was wrong. Something terrible. It _must_ have been if it could throw Ned off his equilibrium.

"What happened, Ned? Where am I? Where are Tony and Peter?"

He pulled back, but before he could say anything, the door to the room opened and Steve Rogers walked in. He walked across the room and patted Ned's shoulder, comfortingly.

"Thanks, Ned," he told the boy. "Why don't you go sack out in Peter's bed for a while? You look beat."

Ned nodded, squeezed Pepper's hand before letting it go and leaving without a word to either of them, closing the door behind him.

"Where's Tony, Steve?" Pepper asked, trying to sit up a little more than the pillows behind her had her propped. "What happened? Where is Peter?"

"Easy, Pepper," he said, holding his hand up, but understanding her concern. "There was an explosion. You were hurt. _Tony_ was hurt, too – he's going to be fine. He's just in recovery, coming out of surgery."

"What?" Now she was worried. "What-"

"Hey," Steve practically crooned to her to try and keep her calm. Which didn't work at all, but it did keep her from sitting up or jumping out of the bed and rushing to go find the others. "Stay still, okay? We don't want you hurting yourself all over again."

"Okay." She allowed herself to take a deep breath. Now that she tried to think about it, she remembered the explosion in the lounge. How Tony had hidden her behind a table before everything had simply blown up around her. "How's Tony?"

"He's managed to break a couple of ribs and they had to remove a lot of pieces of glass and metal from his side. He's okay, though. I promise. As soon as he wakes up and they make sure he's stable, they're going to put him in here with you – to keep each other company."

She nodded.

"Why isn't _Peter_ here, keeping me company?" she asked, curiously. "Is he with Tony?"

Now she saw him hesitate, and he shook his head.

"No, Pepper, he not. He's in surgery right now."

"What? Why? How big was the explosion?"

"It wasn't that big. The explosion was an assassination attempt on T'Challa," Steve told her. "The other part of the plan was an attempt to grab Shuri – T'Challa's sister."

"What does that have to do with Peter? I don't- Oh my God, he got in the _way_…"

"He saved her life, she says," Steve told her. "But he was shot. They're working on him, now."

"_Shot_? Shot _where_? Is he _here_? I need to see him, Steve. I need to make sure that-"

He put his hand on her shoulder, and held her down, easily, to keep her from moving around too much.

"I didn't see him," Rogers admitted. "I was with Tony when they brought Peter and Ned back. It's serious, but Strange is taking care of him, so you know he's in good hands. As soon as I know anything, I'll make sure that you know it, too, and we'll let you know as soon as the surgery is done."

"I can't sit here waiting," she told him, flustered. "He's my responsibility, now. I need to be with him."

"I know you feel that way," Steve told her. "But if you get yourself worked up, you're not going to be stable enough to give him the support that he's going to need."

"What do you mean?"

For some reason she had a feeling that he didn't mean a shoulder to lean on or someone to fetch him a glass of water.

"He killed them, Pepper," Steve said, softly. "I don't know that he is _aware_ of it, but if he finds out, he's going to need someone to make sure he understands that he didn't have a choice – and he _didn't_, not from the sound of things."

"Oh, no… poor baby."

Rogers nodded.

"Yeah. So you need to get yourself rested, so by the time he's ready to come to you and Tony, you're able to bolster him."

"You're right, of course…"

"Of course I am." He smiled, not usually the cocky one like Tony was, but glad to see the faint smile the statement produced. "I'm going to get one of the doctors so they can make sure you're healthy, and hopefully by then they'll have cleared Tony, too."

"He doesn't know?"

"No. He hasn't woken up, yet. Nick's with him, though. Don't worry."

OOOOOO

A gentle hand on her shoulder woke Natasha from a restless doze. She jerked awake, looking up and seeing Stephen Strange crouched beside the sofa she'd been sitting on while waiting for word. Resting on her shoulder – since there was nowhere else for it to _be_ – the Cloak of Levitation seemed to perk up as little as well, instantly alert.

"How is he?" she asked, without preamble, sitting more upright.

"I pulled a lot of bullet fragments," Strange told her. "It shattered against his ribs and caused a lot of damage, ricocheting through his abdomen and chest. He's not out of the woods, yet, but we've repaired the damage. Now it's up to him. He has an amazing constitution, though, so I'm hopeful."

He looked concerned, though, and tired.

"Can I see him?"

"No. Not yet. They're going to put him in recovery and get him settled. You can spend some time with him, then."

"In the same room as Tony?"

"They only have one, here," he pointed out. "T'Challa is there, too."

"He's okay?"

"He will be. His blood tests came back with some interesting results, but the doctors didn't find any injuries that are life-threatening, or will cause any complications. He got hit about as hard as Tony, it looks like. Which makes sense, considering where we found them in the room."

"Yeah." She reached out and brushed her fingers along his jaw. "You look tired, Stephen."

He caught her hand and brushed a kiss against her knuckles.

"I _am_. I'm going to help settle Peter, check on Tony, make sure Pepper knows the latest, and then _I'm_ going to go get some sleep. If you need me, I'll be in my rooms, here."

"I'll join you there," she assured him.

He nodded and kissed her, then left, with the cloak now riding on his collar in its usual position.

OOOOOOO

Tony Stark heard a conversation going on softly in the background. Two men, both voices familiar, but speaking so low that he couldn't understand what they were saying – only that the noise was enough to keep him from going back to sleep.

He opened his eyes, confused, because he didn't remember going to sleep in the first place, and he didn't remember waking up. The ceiling was bright white, and he heard a soft beeping somewhere to the left of him. For that matter, he heard several different patterns of beeping, and that was a little annoying.

Taking a deep breath, he winced at a sharp stab of pain that seemed to go through is entire torso and he grunted, bringing his hand up to press against his side. Which made him look down, because his side was heavily bandaged, his chest was wrapped tightly, and there was an IV going from his forearm to a couple of different bags that were hanging from a stand next to the bed he was in.

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

He turned and saw Nick Fury standing next to the bed that he was in. On the other side of the former director of Shield, there was another bed. This one had T'Challa in it. Tony could see that the King of Wakanda was awake, but looked about as confused as he felt.

"Yeah." He rubbed the bandage, experimentally, trying to get an idea of just how much he hurt. "There was a bomb?"

"_Two_ of them. You're both lucky to be alive, from what they tell me. Before you ask, _Pepper_ is going to be fine. She was protected by a table and received minor injuries. When they clear you, they're going to put you in the same room she's in, and you can reassure each other."

He frowned.

"She's alright?"

"Didn't I just _say_ that? Pay attention, Tony."

"Yeah." He looked around. "Where's Peter?"

"They just brought him out of surgery."

"What?"

"Your son saved my sister's life," T'Challa said, speaking up for the first time, even though he had been listening to the conversation. "An old friend of my family made a move that I expected – but sooner than I _anticipated_. He attempted to kill me, and would have abducted my sister had Peter not stepped in and prevented it."

"He was shot during the fracas," Fury told him, gently. "Strange has been up all night pulling bullet fragments out of his belly and chest."

"Is he going to be alright?"

"The kid walks up walls, Tony," Nick said, patting his shoulder. "He'll be _fine_. He's just going to take a bit to get through this one."

"I owe him a great deal," T'Challa added. "And you, as well."

"I-" Stark's reply was interrupted when the double door to the room opened and a hospital bed was rolled into the room by a young doctor and several nurses.

Tony and the others watched as it was rolled to a stop beside his own, and an IV stand was brought over. Peter wasn't awake. He was bare-chested, with bandages wrapped snugly around his torso from his armpits to disappear under the blankets that they had him covered with. He, too, had an IV and several other tubes, wires and assorted machinery hooked up to various parts of his body, all making different noises as they monitored his system to make sure there would be no surprises.

Before Stark could start to push his blankets back to get out of bed and walk the three steps to check on him, Stephen Strange walked through the door, and held a hand up, even as the Cloak of Levitation disconnected itself from his collar and whisked over to the boy's bed to settle itself carefully on Peter's chest and belly, a corner of the fabric caressing his temple.

"Don't even _think_ about getting out of that bed," Strange said to Stark, ignoring the shocked look on T'Challa's face at the antics of the cloak. "If you pull any of the stitches, Dr. Adams will be annoyed – and might replace them with staples."

"How is he, Stephen?" Tony asked, looking from the doctor, then to the boy, and then back at the doctor.

"Single gunshot wound," Strange said. "But it did a lot of damage. I've cleared all the pieces, taken care of everything that needed repaired. It's just a matter of giving his body a chance to heal."

"_You_ operated?"

"I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it, Tony," Strange said, fiddling with the IV. "You know that."


	35. Chapter 35

Pepper was awake and sitting up in the bed when they wheeled Tony's bed in several hours after she'd woken up to find Ned keeping her company. He lifted a hand in greeting, but was silent as the nursing staff settled his bed close to her, made sure all of the IV lines were clear, double checked the rest of the monitors and then told them both that someone would be by to check on them in a few hours, and made certain the call buttons were close at hand if they were needed.

"Did you see him?" she asked as the last nurse closed the door behind him.

Stark nodded, pulling the IV from his forearm and slowly and painfully sliding out of his bed and moving over to hers. Pepper shifted, also eliciting a pained noise at the movement, but giving him room to join her in her bed, which he did.

"They brought him in right after his surgery," Tony told her, gathering her into his arms once he'd put the side rail up – just to make sure he didn't fall out of her bed. "Stephen told me that there were a lot of little pieces of shrapnel from the bullet that he had to clear out. He says he got them all. Now it's just a matter of him healing. Which we know he does quickly."

She put her cheek against his chest.

"He's going to be okay, though, right?"

"He's going to be fine, momma," Tony assured her, resting his chin on her head, and brushing his fingers through her hair. "You'll see. He'll be out of bed and bugging us about driving himself to the next competition before you know it."

"Which we'll let him…?"

"He did everything _right_, this time," Stark pointed out. "It's not his fault that someone he had nothing to do with got greedy and tried to overthrow a kingdom he's never even heard of."

"I _know_." She sighed. Closing her eyes, relieved to have him with her and wishing that Peter was there, too, stuck between them where they could make sure nothing could hurt him and could remind him with a touch that they loved him and that they were there for him. "T'Challa's alright?" she asked, sleepily, the pain medication that the doctors had given her finally being allowed to relax her.

Or maybe it was just the fact that _he_ was with her, holding her.

"Yeah. They'll keep him a couple of days – just to make sure he can travel – but he's awake and talking."

"Shuri wasn't hurt?"

"No. Go to sleep, Pep," he told her, hearing the exhaustion in her voice. "If anyone comes, I'll wake you."

She didn't argue, and he felt her fall asleep in his arms. It took him a lot longer, but he was just as wiped out, and he eventually dozed off as well.

OOOOO

"_You're Stark's boy, right?"_

"_Yeah."_

_Never had he been happier to be able to say yes to something. It took him a while – probably longer than was necessary, but he'd come to embrace the fact that Tony wanted him. That Tony had accepted him, embraced him and had done everything short of writing it on his hand that he loved Peter and wanted to step into the role of father for him._

_Peter had been so long without a dad that it had been scary to allow that role to be filled, again. He knew from experience that when he loved someone, they left him, and he didn't want that to happen. But he had done it. He'd given himself to Tony Stark wholeheartedly and wallowed in the love that he received in return for that._

_Even more, he'd done the same with Pepper, and had even tried out a word that he couldn't remember ever having used before in his young life. Mom. A small word that was so profound for him it had taken even longer for him to use it than it had for him to call Tony dad. _

_But he'd done it._

_He was Stark's boy, yes. And Pepper's. He loved them to his core, and knew that they loved him, and that love was a risk that they were willing to take with him._

"_He's dead. They're both dead. Blown to hell so I can take over Wakanda."_

"_You're lying."_

_He wanted to believe that. The man was just trying to find a way to hurt him. Wanted to believe that the universe wouldn't do that to him again. Wouldn't give him parents who loved him, put him in a situation where he finally had everything that he wanted, and then pull that rug out from under his feet and allow him to be wounded, once more, in the cruelest of ways._

_He wanted to believe it, but it had happened to him, and he knew the universe didn't play favorites. If it could happen once – and it had – then it could happen to him again. And it had. _

_They were dead, and he was going to be alone, again._

"_They're dead, kid…"_

"_I know."_

"_I killed them."_

_Grief and agony tore through him, causing a far greater hurt than the ache that came with moving as he tried to escape that awful reality. _

_He should hide from that._

Where_?_

"_Peter…"_

_He felt hands on him. First on his hand, prying his fist open. Then holding him. Felt a gentle crooning in his mind. Someone was touching his face, trying to soothe him. Holding him down. Weighing him down completely._

"_They're dead."_

"_No, they're not."_

"_I'm _alone_, again."_

"_Peter."_

"_No… Please… I can't do it. Not again."_

"_They're dead, kid. You'll have to go on without them."_

"_I can't."_

_He'd done it once. Done it twice, really, and that was enough trying for anyone. Maybe he didn't have the strength or the will to go on trying, again._

"_They're not dead, Peter," a voice told him, firmly, hands holding his face, tenderly. "I promise."_

"_He said they were."_

"_I know, baby. But he lied."_

"_I never lie, boy. T'Challa is dead, blown to hell, and your mom and dad are, too."_

OOOOOOO

They were both awake when Strange entered their room, followed by two nurses – both pushing wheelchairs. Still in the same bed, instead of being apart. They'd napped off and on for the last several hours, holding each other while they waited for news. They needed that contact. Tony waited to be told to move so he could argue, but that command never came.

"I need you," Strange told them. "Both of you."

"What is it?" Tony asked, immediately easing himself out of the bed and wincing.

"It's Peter."

Of course it was. He'd never have allowed either of them out of bed for any other reason. Not so soon after putting them into the bed in the first place.

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked, allowing herself to be eased from the bed and into a chair, watching as they did the same with Tony, but also watching Stephen, worried.

"He's delirious and we can't get him calmed down."

"You've given him something?"

"He's burning through it faster than we can safely administer it," Strange told them. "He seems to be convinced that you two are dead, and nothing we tell him is helping. Natasha has already pulled the teleporting stone from his hand, twice, and he's going to hurt himself if we can't get him snapped out of this."

As he was explaining the problem, he was leading them back to the recovery room, which was only a few doors down from the room they'd been in. They heard him even before they arrived. Heartbreaking sobs and low, agonizing mutterings.

Natasha was on the edge of Peter's bed, leaned over him and trying to hold him without hurting him. The cloak was draped over the boy as well, and when they were pushed up against either side of the bed, Tony saw that Peter's hands were in tight fists, with bandages wrapped around them, heavily. Presumably to keep him from holding the teleporting stone.

Romanoff looked over at their arrival and vacated her spot when Tony got out of the wheelchair and moved to take her place.

"Peter…" he said, softly.

The boy didn't open his eyes, Whatever nightmare/panic attack he was enthralled in had him completely in its grasp.

"They're _dead_," he whispered, brokenly.

"Peter," Tony said, again, his hand brushing the boy's forehead, tenderly, his voice firm, despite the gentle touch. "Listen to me, son. We're here."

"No…" he shook his head. "I'm alone, again."

Pepper sobbed at the ache that they could all hear. She moved to the other side of him, her hand reaching for his, holding it awkwardly since it was so heavily bandaged.

"We're here, sweetheart," she told him, bending over to speak directly into his ear, where he couldn't ignore her. "Open your eyes, Peter. Look at us."

He shook his head.

"It's a trick…"

If he opened his eyes, it was the final proof. The final truth. He was an orphan, yet again.

Stark had Peter's other hand, the cloak moved to avoid being pinned between so many bodies and Strange and Natasha could see that the bandages protecting his injured belly and chest were bloody from the exertions. It was the least of their concerns, just then.

Tony brushed his jaw against Peter's cheek, and let the hand that he was holding go when the boy automatically reached for his face. With the bandages holding his hand closed, there was no way he could have actually felt the facial hair under his fingers, but it wasn't the sensation that he needed. It was the jolt back to reality that the contact provided.

He opened his eyes, and Tony pulled back just enough to allow him to look at them.

Peter's eyes went from him, then to Pepper, who had also moved a little, and then back to Tony, once more, and his struggles ceased.

"Tony?"

"We're _here_, son."

He still didn't look like he believed what he was seeing. Pepper brushed her fingers along his cheek, while Tony did the same on the other side.

"He told me you guys were dead…"

"We're not." Stark pressed a kiss against Peter's forehead, holding his cheek once more against the boy. Proving what he was being told.

Peter's hands came up. One went to Pepper's cheek, holding her against him on that side, the other held Tony where he was. Then he started crying; deep, shuddering sobs that wracked his entire being and might have caused him to hurt himself if not for the two people holding him so tightly.

"That's what I needed," Strange murmured, softly, to Natasha, stepping forward as a syringe appeared in his hand.

He administered the sedative, and now that he wasn't held so tightly by the nightmare, the drug did what it was designed to do. The boy's hands came down, limply holding Pepper and Tony, who hadn't moved, and the shuddering and crying stopped.

Pepper pulled back first, kissing Peter's cheek as she did, and brushing away the tears that smeared his face. Tony finally pulled away, as well, and he settled Peter's hands back onto the bed, looking down at the bandages, alarmed.

"Is he alright, Stephen?" he asked, noticing that the cloak was smeared with bloodstains, as well, and absently thinking that Peter would have smiled and said it was grumbling about that.

"He will be," Strange assured them. "Back to bed, you guys. Thank you."

"But we should stay," Pepper objected. "What if he needs us, again?"

"Let me get him stable," the doctor told her, gesturing for the nurse to help ease her back into the wheelchair. "Once he is, we'll put you closer to him – just in case."

It took a bit more to convince Tony to leave, as well, but with the crisis over, he was feeling every ache and pain, and he finally did as he was told.

"You'll call if he needs us?"

"I will."


	36. Chapter 36

_A/N - and a personal one at that, sorry. The surgeon is pleased with my healing, but won't take out the stitches for another two weeks and won't let me move around much. So two more weeks - at least - stuck in bed with very little to do but write my story to try to avoid going stir-crazy. Thanks for all the well wishes, looks like they are working._

OOOOOO

"How are you feeling, brother?"

T'Challa shrugged, but winced when he did.

"There is some pain. Dr. Adams tells me that I should be able to get up in another day. Then we will go home. I can finish recuperating there, in my own bed."

"There is no hurry," Shuri said, sitting in the chair beside her brother's bed. The Avengers had given her use of one of their VIP rooms during their stay, but T'Challa was in a medical room so he could be observed in case his condition deteriorated. Not that any of them seemed to expect that, but they were well aware that they were taking care of a king, and weren't willing to risk any incidents. "I want you to get _better_."

He frowned.

"And…?"

Her look was innocence personified.

"What _and_?" she asked. "I cannot hope for the best for my brother? And my _king_?"

"You can – and I'm sure you _do_," he replied. "But you usually have many motivations. Why do you wish to stay? They have already promised to keep you apprised of Peter's condition – even if we are home."

"I am worried about Peter," Shuri said, sincerely. "He is injured because he saved me. And also, I might want a chance to look around here a little more."

"Why?"

T'Challa hadn't been out of his bed enough to have had any chance for sightseeing. As soon as possible, he'd been in contact with his mother to reassure her that he and Shuri were fine and to advise her what had happened – just in case it wasn't isolated to Syracuse. The remaining Wakandan security – those in New York with him, and the ones who weren't injured – had all descended on the Avenger compound to keep guard on their king – and had been graciously welcomed and housed in temporary quarters. They had immediately taken charge of the security of their king, who had been in bed for a full 24 hours, now, and was finally starting to feel well enough that he could move without creaking.

"Because there is much about this place I have not learned," she told him.

"Such as?"

"Such as their technology. Peter killed Gerard and the two men with a motion of his hands and some lights. I saw it. While all technology was being jammed. Mr. Stark was unable to initiate his Ironman suit and you told me that your suit would not engage, either."

"Yes, it did not."

"So how was the technology that _Peter_ used able to work?"

"Did you ask?"

She frowned.

"He has not been conscious."

"Not him. The _Avengers_."

"No. I do not know any of them well enough to feel that they would answer with full disclosure. Doctor Strange is another I would learn more of. His technology – which is not deadly like that which Peter used – was impressive."

"The wormhole?"

She shrugged.

"I do not know if it was truly a wormhole – or a stargate, or perhaps simply a portal of some kind. Whatever it was, all he had to do was wave his hands – and I saw no device in either of them. I am curious-"

"Of course you are."

She smiled at the interruption.

"All I am saying, brother, is take your time getting well. Mother can handle things back home for you, and I want a chance to learn more about these people and their technology."

He sighed and leaned back into his pillows.

"Just stay out of trouble."

"Of course."

"And tell me if you learn more of Peter's condition."

"I will."

"Good. Now go away and let me sleep."

He smiled at the rude gesture she made, and watched her leave before closing his eyes. He was sore and stiff, and in no real hurry to move – not today, anyway. Besides, he still had to think of a way to thank Peter for what he had done for his sister – and for saving him the trouble of killing Gerard Poole.

OOOOOO

"Well?"

"He hasn't woken, yet, Tony, so I can't tell you."

"It's been days, Stephen," Stark said, restlessly. He was in his own bed, instead of with Pepper, and he was once more attached to two IV lines; one to combat dehydration, the other an antibiotic to make sure he didn't catch any infections that might complicate his recovery. He was sore and exhausted, but he refused to sleep for fear he'd miss the moment Peter woke – or worse, Peter would need him and he wouldn't be awake and available. "Why isn't he awake?"

"It's been 19 hours," Strange corrected, winking down at Pepper as he held her wrist, checking her pulse against the machine that was monitoring it electronically. "He needs the sleep. I promise you I will let you know when he wakes up."

"And I can get up, then?"

"We'll see. Pepper can go in your stead, if needed. She's doing very well."

Pepper nodded. She knew Tony was hurting, and had kicked him out of her bed in favor of his own so that he might be able to get some sleep and give his body a chance to heal. It worked for a few hours, but he was worried, and that translated into restless.

"I feel better."

It was one less thing for him to worry about, that way.

"You _look_ better," the doctor agreed. He moved over to Stark's bed and took his wrist, looking at the monitor. "You need to get some sleep, Tony."

"I need to check on Peter."

"I'm keeping a close eye on him, I assure you."

"You're not, right now," Tony pointed out.

"_Natasha_ is watching him." He let his wrist go and made a couple notes on the chart that was hanging between the two beds. "Get some sleep, okay? Or I'll put you out the easy way."

Stark scowled at the threat, but didn't challenge it, very much aware that Strange was serious, and had instant access to any sedative that he might want to use on him if he thought it was necessary.

"I feel fine."

"Just do it my way. You'll heal faster, I promise."

OOOOOOO

Natasha _was_ watching Peter. And she had been watching him for hours, waiting for any indication that he was waking, so they could get an idea of how he was doing – beyond what the monitors were telling them.

He was propped up somewhat in the bed, and once he'd settled from the nightmare, the doctors had replaced the bandages, double checking to make sure he hadn't managed to do anything more serious to himself than pull a few stitches. Then they'd covered him warmly and left him alone to allow him a chance to rest.

As soon as they were finished caring for him, the cloak had arranged itself in its preferred position on him, warming him and comforting him, presumably, and Romanoff had settled in a chair next to the bed, her hand touching his, brushing his wrist, tenderly, while she watched him. He was pale, still somewhat restless, and if she wasn't so worried about hurting him, she would be in his bed _with_ him, holding him and making sure he knew that he wasn't alone.

Instead, she was as close as she could be, occasionally forcing down the lump that kept forming in her throat when she realized just how close they'd come to losing him, and waiting for him to wake up so she could scold him for worrying her.


	37. Chapter 37

He woke slowly. Not because he _wanted_ to, but the medications that were being continually dripped into his system demanded that he didn't make any sudden movements and maybe injure himself – or even cause any additional pain. There was an immediate crooning in his mind, which was the first thing that he was actively aware of. A gentle lullaby that was tinged with happiness and comfort – but mainly told him to go back to sleep and save anything else for a different day. Accompanied by a gentle caress against his temple, it was soothing, and almost would have worked if not for the dull ache that seemed to range from his neck to his thighs – maybe even lower, but he was too numb to feel everything, everywhere.

Peter opened his eyes, squinting from the bright lights and the ache in his head – which he hadn't felt before, but was now more than willing to make itself known to him. He closed his eyes again and waited, hoping that the ache would fade at least a little and was pleasantly surprised when it did. He opened his eyes again, and this time felt like he might be able to look around without his head falling off, or his brain making its presence known by popping out from behind his right eye.

He looked at the ceiling, first, and decided from the whiteness and the ambient noises that he was in a hospital room. _Probably_ at the compound, but there wasn't really any way to know. Until he turned his head just a little, and saw Natasha Romanoff sleeping in a chair beside the bed that he was in. She was curled in somewhat of a ball, her head resting on her shoulder in an awkward position, but her hand stretched out toward him, resting on the edge of his bed, close to his side.

Peter reached out to touch her fingers, almost automatically, and found that his hand was enclosed in gauzy bandages and his fingers were formed into a fist that made doing anything delicate impossible. He frowned, confused, because his arms and hands were pretty much the only part of him that _didn't_ ache, really.

She opened her eyes at the touch, though, proving that she hadn't been sleeping too soundly, and looked over at him, her expression concerned and then relieved, and then back to concerned, again. She sat up a little, her own hand reaching for his cheek, her fingers a light touch that did more to soothe the ache inside his head than any medication ever could.

"Hi, baby," she murmured, softly, her voice a mere whisper.

He was too tired to lift his head, and his smile was equally exhausted, but it was the best he could manage.

"Hi, Natasha. Did I _sleepwalk_?" His voice sounded raspy, even to him, but her smile told him that she understood what he'd said, and her eyes welled with tears as she shook her head and pressed her cheek against his, sniffing in his ear and trying to hold him without hurting him. Peter brought his arms up, though, instinctively reaching for her to comfort her. "It's okay…"

She didn't reply right away, and he could feel her shaking in his embrace, as weak as it was just then. Awkwardly, his hands more like clubs than anything else, really, he brushed the hand that wasn't wrapped around her against her hair and her back, making soothing noises and feeling the cloak croon even more forcefully in his mind as _it_ caressed her cheek, too, obviously giving her its own brand of comfort, as well.

She finally pulled back, and wiped her eyes with her fingers for lack of a tissue, looking him over as she regained her composure.

"How do you feel, baby?"

"I'm okay. A little sore. What happened?"

"We'll talk about it later," she told him, brushing her hand against his temple, once more, giving in to the need to touch him and reassure herself that he was really still with them. "You should go back to sleep… you need your rest, right now."

"Will you stay with me?" he whispered, looking down at the bed, and shifting himself, painfully, a little to the side to make room for her in an obvious invitation that was as automatic as breathing, to him.

Natasha frowned and shook her head.

"I can't, Peter. It'll hurt you."

Now it was his eyes that welled with tears, the rejection cutting him to the quick and his body too tired and miserable to allow him the means to hide the reaction before she could see it. He closed his eyes, childishly reasoning that if he couldn't see her, then she wouldn't be able to see him, and felt her move beside him, easing her body next to him and her arm tenderly holding him, mindful of all the tubes, wires and bandages.

He sniffed, and moved his head enough to rest it against her, still on the pillow.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, realizing belatedly – _everything_ was in slow motion for him, just then – that he'd made her feel guilty and had pretty much emotionally blackmailed her into doing what he wanted, and not what she wanted.

"Don't be," came the response, her voice strong enough for both of them. "But when Stephen complains, I'm going to blame it on you."

"Okay…"

He might have said more, but the conversation – short as it was – had taxed his already weary system, and he drifted off, secure in her arms and reassured by her very presence.

Natasha waited until she was absolutely certain that he was asleep again, and then slipped herself carefully out of his bed. She would have held him all day, but she didn't want to hurt him, and besides, she needed to let Stephen and the others know that he'd opened his eyes, even if it was only for a moment.

OOOOOO

Pepper looked up when Strange entered the room, but a glance over at Tony's bed told them both that he was asleep. He was on his back, propped up by the bed and the pillows tucked behind him, and his bruised and cut face was finally regaining some color. The doctor smiled, both at the fact that Stark had finally succumbed to the need for rest, and to let Pepper know, silently, that he wasn't delivering bad news.

"How is he?" Pepper asked, softly, as Strange walked over to their beds.

"He just woke up for a minute," Stephen told her, equally quiet, to avoid waking Tony. He checked the IV lines and the monitors, and made a few minor adjustments. "Natasha said he asked if he was sleepwalking."

She smiled.

"How do his injuries look? Is he healing?"

"It's still early," the doctor reminded her, now coming to her bed and sitting on the edge of it. "He's not going to be ready to jump out of bed and do cartwheels, but it looks promising. His tests are all coming back negative, and there are no signs of any infections."

"Did he say anything else?" she asked, eager for any news from Peter's room.

"He said he loves you and Tony," Strange said, reaching around her and straightening her pillow to make it more comfortable. "Get some rest, okay? Tomorrow, if everything looks as good as it does today, I'll let you out of bed and you can spend some time with him."

"Thank you, Stephen."

He nodded, and leaned over and brushed a kiss against her forehead.

"You're welcome. Go to sleep."

"Or you'll drug _me_, too?"

Strange's smile was amused.

"You weren't supposed to notice that."


	38. Chapter 38

True to his word, Strange and Dr. Adams released Pepper from their immediate care the next morning. She was allowed out of bed and Natasha brought her some clothes that would be much better appreciated than the simple gown that she'd been wearing. Tony watched her in a drug-induced haze as she dressed.

"You're going to check on him?" he asked, his head feeling so heavy just then that he couldn't have lifted it from the pillow even on a bet.

"As soon as I leave here," she confirmed sitting on his bed to put on socks and shoes.

She was released from the care of the doctors, but was told no work for the rest of the week – and she was fine with that, since she had no intention of leaving the compound until Peter was far closer to recovery than he was just then.

"And you'll let me know how he's doing?"

She nodded, understanding his frustration, and empathizing, completely. He _wasn't_ allowed out of bed, and Strange had made sure to enforce that order with a cocktail of medications in his IV that would help him sleep, keep the pain from his injuries at a tolerable level and reduced him to observer only in the comings and goings of the people around him. Stephen had assured her that it would only be for a few more days, but he wanted Tony to get a head start on healing, and sneaking out of bed to go be with Peter – who was also being given a lot of medications that would enable him to sleep around the pain and leave him boring to watch – was only going to delay the process if it was allowed.

"I'll come right back," Pepper promised, tying her shoe and then reaching for his hand to hold it against her side. "Do you want me to pass on anything if he's awake?"

He nodded, binging her hand up to his lips in what was a herculean effort considering how wiped out he was.

"Tell him I love him."

"He already _knows_ that," she pointed out, leaning over to kiss him. "But I will remind him, just to make sure he doesn't forget."

"And tell him not to worry about me – or his _homework_. In fact, don't even _mention_ homework. Or _school_. Just _me_. And _you_, of course. Anything but homework."

The medication was making him _ramble_, too, she realized.

"I'll make sure he doesn't worry, Tony."

"I know, Pep." He closed his eyes, but didn't release her hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she told him. "Get some sleep. I'll be back in a little while."

"Okay."

She waited, just to make sure he didn't have anything else that he needed from her, and then took her hand back and brushed her fingers lightly against his hair, wanting to touch him, but unwilling to wake him now that he'd dozed off once more.

Then she got up and went to check on Peter.

OOOOOOO

Clint was sitting in the chair beside Peter's bed when Pepper walked into the recovery room. There was always someone with him – as well as Stephen's cloak. Especially once they'd decided to take the bandages off his hands, since he hadn't had any further episodes with night terrors or panic attacks and the teleportation stone hadn't made any more appearances. The archer looked up when she walked in and flashed a smile, standing up at her approach.

"Are you _supposed_ to be out of bed?" he teased, gently. "Or should I call security?"

She smiled, and hugged him, her eyes going to Peter's still form, but still making sure Clint knew she appreciated him looking out for the boy – and coming to their aid in the explosion.

"I've been served my release papers," she assured him. "How's he doing?"

"He's resting pretty comfortably," Barton reported, letting her go. "No nightmares as long as I've been with him – which is five hours – he's woken up a couple times, said a total of ten words, mainly asking if he's sleepwalking, and he only moved once, although it might have been the cloak. Strange came to check on him a while ago, but they're saying that they're just going to allow him to sleep until he's ready to wake up and stay awake."

Which was what Stephen had told her and Tony when he and Adams had been by to release her. Pepper thought he looked terrible; his face far too pale – although it could have been the addition of the white sheets and blankets, the white walls and the pillows he was propped up with. The only real color was the Cloak of Levitation and the black teddy bear that was resting in the crook of his off-side arm, hiding the IV sources from sight.

"Thank you."

Barton nodded, and decided to allow her some time alone with him.

"I'm going to go find some coffee. Call me if you need anything – or _Steve_. He's next up."

Pepper nodded and Clint left, closing the door behind him. She walked over to Peter's bed and sat down on the edge of it, smiling when the cloak raised a corner of fabric and rubbed her hand as she reached out to brush her fingers along the boy's cheek.

Whether it was her touch or the movement of the cloak, he opened his eyes, looking at her in a mixture of dazed confusion and pain. Both of which made her take his hand in her own to try to comfort him.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she said softly.

"Hi, Pepper."

He recognized her. That was a good start as far as she was concerned. He didn't lift his head from the pillow, and the general feeling she got from him was one of pure exhaustion. Which was understandable. She knew that he was using a lot of energy to heal, and that was only a good thing, as far as she was concerned. It wasn't like he needed to be out of bed for anything, anyway.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"I know." She leaned over and brushed a kiss against his cheek.

"How's Tony?" he asked.

Pepper smiled.

"Restless. He wants to come visit you, but isn't allowed out of bed, yet. _I've_ been sent to check on you so I can report back to him later to let him know how you're doing."

"He's _really_ okay?" Peter asked, his eyes still tired, but his expression concerned. "They're not just saying that because they're afraid to tell me the truth?"

"He's _really_ okay," Pepper assured him. "I saw him five minutes ago, and he was sleeping, peacefully. Before that he told me to tell you that he loves you, and that _you're_ not to worry about him."

Peter nodded and closed his eyes, which were wet, now, with tears. Whether relief, because he thought Pepper was telling him the truth, or worry, or even just pain from his own injuries, she didn't know. But she wasn't immune to them. She put her cheek against his wet one and grasped his free hand as tightly as she dared, holding him and giving him all the support she could.

Which was his undoing, of course, and he started crying, softly. Gentle sobs shook his shoulders as he cried, and Pepper simply held him. It wasn't the same as when he'd been so certain that they had been killed. These tears were a release, and she understood that, and was more than willing to hold him as long as he needed her to – although she wasn't silent.

"It's okay, sweetheart," she murmured to him. "You're going to be fine, and Tony's going to be fine. You'll see him in no time. I promise."

He nodded, but didn't have the energy to cry and talk, and at the moment the tears had hold of him as firmly as she did. It didn't take long, but he cried himself to sleep in her arms, and Pepper shifted, carefully, moving behind him so that she could hold him while he slept, needing the contact with him probably even more than _he_ did.

When Strange came to check on his patient almost ten minutes later – and to make sure that Pepper had had a chance to see him and reassure herself that he was doing as well – if not better, than could be expected, he found her still holding him, with his head tucked under her chin and her arms enfolding him from behind, acting as a backrest for him. The Cloak of Levitation was covering them both, and was brushing a corner of fabric against one cheek, while she had a hand doing the same against the other, sharing their prize equally.

"He woke?" Stephen asked, walking over and settling himself in the chair.

"Yes. I think he's secretly worried that we're keeping Tony's condition from him."

"Understandable." The doctor looked around the room, and shrugged. "Why don't I have them bring Tony in here? Then they can keep each other company and save you the trouble of running yourself ragged, trying to keep an eye on both of them."

Pepper smiled.

"I think that's a good idea."

Besides, Strange was looking pretty tired, too, lately, and it would save him a lot of walking as well.


	39. Chapter 39

The King of Wakanda scowled when his sister walked into the room. She was lively, and alert, and looked far too cheerful for someone whose brother and king was so miserable – and still stuck in bed. At least, _he_ thought so, anyway.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked her, sourly.

"It is a beautiful day, brother."

"So?"

"I cannot be happy to see the sun?"

"If you must be." It wasn't like she didn't see the sun almost every day back home if she wanted to look out the window. "Where have you been?"

"Exploring the compound." Shuri sat on the edge of his bed. "Why do you look so grumpy?"

"Because my sides hurt. And the food is boring. And you never come visit."

"I come, but you are asleep. Watching you sleep is boring. I have no issue with the food here. It is interesting."

"Did they feed you meatloaf and lime Jell-O for lunch today?"

"Captain Rogers took me to McDonald's for lunch today with Clint Barton - Hawkeye. It was wonderful."

"The food, or the company?" he asked, shrewdly.

He was well aware that she was sixteen and infatuated with the Avengers. Rogers in particular.

She grinned, mischievously.

"Both."

"What else have you been doing?"

"I spent the morning in their library, looking for examples of the tech that Peter and Doctor Strange used."

"Did you learn anything?"

She scowled, and shook her head.

"If it were any other place, I would simply hack into their system to learn what I want to know."

"But…?"

"It is the _Avengers_," she pointed out. "And Peter saved my life. And the doctors here probably saved _yours_. They deserve better than that – that much I have learned from my brother."

"But the curiosity is driving you crazy…"

She shrugged.

"It is. I am waiting for Peter to wake up so I can ask him."

"Why not ask _Dr. Strange_?"

Shuri shook her head.

"That one! He is so _intense_, brother. Extremely polite when I ask him about Peter's progress – or yours – but I have to admit, I find him intimidating."

"_Really_?"

"I think there is much more to him than simply a brilliant surgeon – even though that is all I could find in my researching when I looked him up."

"You can continue your research when we return home."

The reference tools she had available at home were much more comprehensive than the ones she had access to at the compound, after all. Short of hacking into the Avenger's system, like she'd said.

"Have they decided when they will release you?"

He nodded.

"Dr. Adams has said two more days. I could be released now, except that the return trip home is so long she advises more healing before I make the attempt. Since things are calm at home, I prefer to stay long enough to be assured that Peter will recover – and to speak with Tony, once more."

"Good. Then I will have more time to look around."

"Are they taking good care of you?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I don't need a baby sitter, brother."

"Are they keeping you occupied with enough interesting things to do?" he asked, rephrasing the question to accommodate her teen-aged pride.

"Yes. There is a swimming pool, a lounge with plenty of games and activities, and they stream all forms of entertainment. It is not as interesting as being at home, but I am far from bored."

"Good. Continue to stay out of trouble, alright?"

Shuri gave him an innocent look.

"Don't I always, brother?"

OOOOOO

Tony woke as they were moving him, the sensation of being in motion when he knew he shouldn't be being more than enough to pull him from his own restless sleep. Drug induced as it was, he was finding that he wasn't sleeping well every time he closed his eyes. Part of it was that despite all they were doing, he still hurt. Ribs were tender at the best of times, and his were hurting every time he took a deep breath or moved the wrong way. Another thing keeping him from sleeping easily was that he was worried about Peter, of course.

Stark wanted to be with him Wanted to be able to watch him, himself, so he could see for himself that the boy was really, truly, alright. It wasn't that he didn't trust Pepper and Stephen, because he did, but he had always been – and would always be – someone who was very hands on and needed to see things for himself.

He opened his eyes and since he was propped up in the bed he was able to see that he was being pushed slowly out into the corridor beyond the room he had been in, and Pepper was walking beside the bed.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice somewhat raspy.

"We're moving you," came the reply.

Tony turned his head and saw Stephen on the other side of the bed, keeping pace, easily.

"Where?"

"It's a surprise," Pepper told him, smiling in anticipation.

"I don't really like surprises, Pep," he reminded her as one of the nurses who had been leading the way hit a button to open a door only a few down from the one they'd left. "You know that."

"You'll like this one," she assured him.

He scowled at her, but then saw the bed in the room they entered – and the person sleeping in it. He sat up a little, his eyes locked on the boy, and the machines. But mostly the boy, searching for any indication that something was wrong.

"Is he okay?"

"He's getting there," Strange told him as the person pushing his bed maneuvered it into a position close to Peter's, leaving just enough room for a chair between them. "He's well enough now that we figured he could use some company to occupy him in between the times that he's sleeping. Pepper thought you might be interested."

Stark practically beamed, his attention completely on Peter while they set the bed up and made sure all his IV lines and other tubes, wires and monitors were in place on the off side of the bed so they wouldn't block his view. His hand idly reached for Pepper's and she settled on the edge of his bed.

"There are some ground rules, though," she told him, turning his attention from Peter to her.

She, in turn, looked at Strange, who nodded.

"You each stay in your own bed. I don't want you aggravating those ribs and making them worse," Stephen told him. "And, obviously, Peter's not up to moving around – even if he feels that he is. The medication we've given him will dull the pain, and make him think that he's healthier than he really is."

"Okay."

"I mean it, Tony. I don't care how big and doleful his eyes get. You both stay in bed. Him especially. If either of you need something, let someone run for it for you."

Stark scowled.

"Alright."

"Pepper?"

She smiled.

"I'll keep them in bed," she promised.

Strange nodded and left with the others, telling them that he'd come by and check on them later that evening. Pepper squeezed Tony's hand, lightly, and he brought it up and kissed her fingers before he absolutely had to put his head back on the pillows. He positioned himself so that he could watch Peter sleep, deciding that he looked exhausted and terrible, but nothing was a better sight to be seen than him right there near enough to almost touch.

"What have I been missing?" he asked, still watching Peter, but now hooking an arm around Pepper's waist.

"T'Challa's security people are all up out of bed, now."

"How is he doing?"

"About as well as you are. They're saying tomorrow he can get out of bed for a while and see how he does."

"And Shuri?"

"Is spending a lot of time looking through the network."

"Oh? For what?"

"Probably just trying to learn more about the Avengers, that kind of thing. I know she's trying to figure out how Peter managed to kill Gerard and company when the jammers were blocking all technology."

"Including my suit," Tony said, shaking his head. "Has anyone had a chance to look at the device?"

"We've had people on it. They're saving it for when you're out of bed. Apparently it blocks nanotechnology as well, though. Since that's what forms your newest version of the Ironman suit – and Peter's web shooters – it's no surprise you couldn't activate it."

"That's some serious tech," he mused.

"And apparently _Wakandan_. Gerard has some contacts in the country and obviously wasn't above using it."

Stark frowned.

"There's no way that someone making an attempt on T'Challa could have known in advance that we were going to be there," he pointed out. "We didn't even know we were going to be at the competition until the last minute – and it was even less notice for the invitation to dinner."

"True." She leaned in and kissed him, pleased to see that he wasn't brooding over being stuck in bed, now, and had lost his concerned look when it came to Peter. "Which makes you wonder what he was _really_ trying to stop from activating, if it wasn't your suit."

"Yeah, it does."

He put his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. Time enough later to worry about that. He just wanted to spend time with his family, now.


	40. Chapter 40

Shuri hesitated, standing in the doorway of the room and looking around. She knew she was probably _not_ someplace that she should be, after all. The Avengers were very open to her. They gave her pretty free access to the compound, with only a few places being off limits to her – and understandably, since she had no reason to be allowed access to the control room or to anyone's private quarters.

Now, however, looking at the two beds – and those sleeping in them – she was sure that she should wait for Peter to wake up before actually coming to check on him. It was just that she hadn't heard much, and she _was_ worried. He'd saved her life, after all, and in her world that meant that she was indebted to him utterly. Besides, she considered him to be a friend, and friends worried when their friends were injured.

Especially if they were injured because of the other person.

Tony Stark was asleep in the bed to the right, and Peter was asleep in the one on the left. Stark was turned slightly on his side, his hand flung out on his bed toward Peter. She assumed that he had fallen asleep watching the other bed. Monitors were keeping track of his vitals and IV lines and other tubes were attached everywhere, it seemed.

Peter was also asleep. Was also subjected to IVs and monitors and tubes everywhere. From where she was standing, she could see that he looked pale, but his face was free of bruising, unlike Tony Stark's – which bore several small cuts and a few bruises from flying debris striking him during the explosion. Her brother's face looked similar, although his darker skin hid the bruising better. Peter was on his back, and was not propped up at the moment. He was covered by an ugly red blanket, and there was a black teddy bear tucked beside him on the far side.

Shuri would have been indignant if she woke from an injury to find someone had placed a child's toy beside her, but assumed that Peter wouldn't mind, or whomever put it there wouldn't have done so. She hadn't been at the compound but three days, now, and she already knew that Peter was someone who was a favorite of those who lived and worked there - from the Avengers down to the woman who ran the bar in the lounge, and the man she had met at the swimming pool.

She sighed, silently, and walked quietly into the room, deciding that standing off in the distance wasn't going to let her know how he was doing. Trying very hard to keep from waking Stark, the girl went up between the two beds and silently looked down at Peter.

Close up, he looked exhausted, and even paler than she thought from the door. His brow was furrowed, as though he was in pain, even asleep, and there was a slight sheen of moisture, which might be caused by the slight fever one of the monitors told her silently that he was running.

She reached out to touch his cheek, automatically trying to soothe whatever was making him look so miserable, and was shocked when a corner of the blanket came up and slapped her hand away. _Hard_.

Shuri gasped and stepped back, bumping Stark's bed and sitting down hard on it when her momentum carried her backward. The fabric resumed its position on Peter's chest, but the same corner that had slapped her spent a moment rubbing against the boy's cheek – the same place she had been planning to touch him – as if to reassure itself, or Peter, that no harm had come of her attempt. Then it went still once more.

"What's going on…?" She turned, and realized that she'd woken Tony – either with the surprised noise that she'd made, or by falling onto his bed. He hadn't moved, probably because it hurt him to, but his eyes were open, looking at her with a mixture of confusion and concern – and then looking over at Peter before looking back at her. "Shuri?"

"The blanket _moved_," she told him, unable to hide the shock in her expression or her voice. "I _swear_ it did. I did not imagine it. It struck my hand."

To her surprise, Stark didn't look skeptical, or surprised. He simply looked a little resigned as he nodded.

"Yeah, it'll do that sometimes. It's pretty protective of Peter, and it doesn't know you, so it probably doesn't trust you. Are you okay? Did it hurt you?"

"What? No, I am uninjured. What do you mean it doesn't know me? How does it know _anyone_? I do not understand."

"No, I suppose not. And I'm not the one to explain it, really. For now, all I can tell you is it's magic."

The girl gave him a doubtful smile, uncertain if he was trying to patronize her, or if he was teasing.

"There is no such thing as magic, Tony. It must be some kind of technology."

He didn't look offended, he just shrugged and gestured to the other bed.

"Tell that to the blanket," he suggested with an impudent wink.

She frowned, looking at the blanket once more, waiting to see if it moved, again. When it didn't do anything, she shrugged as well. A mystery for later, she supposed.

"I am sorry that I woke you," she said, standing up to give him his bed back. "I was worried about him, and wanted to check on him."

"It's okay," he assured her. "I've been sleeping a lot, and can use the company."

"Where is Pepper?"

"Probably off eating something to avoid waking me. I imagine she won't be long. How are _you_ doing? Are they treating you okay? Anything I can tell them to get you?"

"Your people are being very kind," she told him with a smile at the offer. "My brother might be allowed to get out of bed tomorrow. I was not injured at all – thanks to Peter."

They both looked at the boy sleeping in the bed.

"I'm glad to hear it. Stephen – _Doctor Strange_ – tells me that your quick thinking to apply pressure to the wound and slow the bleeding might have saved his life, though."

"That was _Ned_," she corrected, shaking her head, and thinking back on just how scared she'd been, watching Peter's blood smearing her hands and clothing, pooling under him. "I had only a ceremonial scarf that did nothing to help. Ned used his sweatshirt and was much stronger than I was."

Tony must have seen the look in her expression, because he sat up, biting down a grunt of pain, and reached for her hand.

"Still tried to save him. So, thank you."

She sat back down on his bed.

"Will he be all right? The doctors I spoke with have told me that he has not woken, yet, and have said that they don't know when he will."

"He'll be fine," Stark said, squeezing her hand, comfortingly. "He did open his eyes, once or twice. He's a tough guy. We just need to give him the chance to rest enough to get well."

"I did not mean for him to be injured," Shuri told him.

That elicited a smile, and Tony shook his head.

"Believe me, he doesn't need any _help_ to get himself into scrapes," he responded. "One time he managed to get attacked by a bear and a skunk all in the same weekend."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. Well, the bear was a _little_ one, but it still left an interesting pattern of scarring on his side – and the skunk went after him and Natasha both, so I guess he had a little help that time. Man, they smelled bad. And we had to sleep in the same tent with them that night."

"It happened here?" she asked, smiling. They didn't have skunks in Wakanda, but she knew about them – and had read that they were incredibly potent. "At the compound?"

"No. We went camping. Peter had never been and he wanted to try it. It's a long story – but amusing."

She looked around, and then smiled at the invitation and the distraction that she recognized he was offering.

"I have plenty of time, and would like to hear it."


	41. Chapter 41

When Pepper walked into the recovery room, she was surprised to see Tony awake, sitting propped up in his bed and talking to – of all people – Shuri. The Wakandan Princess was sitting on the edge of his bed, smiling at whatever story he was telling her, and it must have been a doozy, because despite his aches and pains, he was making broad gestures with his hands to embellish the tale.

They both looked over at her arrival and smiled, and she sat carefully on the edge of Peter's bed, a hand reaching automatically for his cheek to brush her fingers against it. Shuri watched the blanket for any movement, but there wasn't so much as a twitch.

"What are you two up to?" Pepper asked, quietly, pleased to see Tony as alert as he was.

"Tony was telling me stories of the camping trip he and Peter went on with Dr. Strange."

"The little stuff, Pep," Stark said with a shrug. "You know; attacked by a bear cub, Natasha deciding that we needed supervision and coming back with us only to get skunked with Peter… foiling a couple of poachers."

She nodded, deciding it was a safer story than telling her how Peter stopped an avalanche with a gesture and was shot by a stranded photographer.

"They smelled so _bad_," Pepper said. "And the odor lingered for _weeks_, really. No one wanted to be around either of them, but were too polite to say so. It was probably worse for Peter, since he had to go back to school, but noses would wrinkle around here whenever Natasha came up to anyone."

Shuri smiled at that.

"We do not have skunks, but I have read about them and would not like that knowledge to be learned the hard way."

"They don't smell if you don't _scare_ them…"

They all turned at the sound of the new voice. Tired, and raspy and so soft that they almost weren't sure that he'd actually said anything. Peter hadn't moved his head from the pillow, but he _did_ open his eyes, looking at all three of them one by one, but stopping at Tony and lingering there.

"Now you know not to _scare_ them," Pepper said, softly, reaching for the hand that came out from under the cloak. "Right?"

"Yeah." He squeezed her hand, but was still looking at Tony, almost certainly not missing the bruises and cuts on his face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Stark assured him. "It looks a lot worse than it is."

Shuri felt like she was suddenly in the way, and would have excused herself but she didn't want to spoil the moment by speaking up.

"How do you feel, sweetheart?" Pepper asked.

"Tired," he admitted, rolling just a little onto his side so he had a better view of Tony and Shuri. But mostly _Tony_, to judge by the way that his eyes never left him. "And a little sore."

"Stephen said you're going to be both for a while," Tony said. "But he agreed that you're well enough for company, so I get to be in here with you."

Peter's tired smile made all three of them smile, as well.

"I'm glad." He closed his eyes, too tired to keep them open. "How is your brother, Shuri?"

"He should be allowed out of bed, soon," she said. "Thank you for asking. He was asking of you, as well."

"Tell him I'm fine," Peter assured her, not exactly proving that since he still hadn't opened his eyes, again. His voice was a little stronger, though. "Were you hurt?"

"No. Not at all."

Scared, but uninjured, and not willing to admit the scared part.

"Good…"

Shuri smiled, looking over at Tony, and standing up. It was a good time to excuse herself and give them some time alone with Peter.

"I am going to go check on T'Challa," she said to them. "I will come back later – if I _may_?"

"Of course," Tony told her, while Pepper nodded at the same time. "Any time."

Peter didn't answer, which made them all assume that he'd fallen asleep once more, but Shuri had only been gone from the room a few moments when he shifted in the bed, again, the injuries to his chest and stomach making it painful to sleep on his side but too stubborn to move completely onto his back. Pepper was still holding his hand, but she let it go so she could rub his shoulder, instead.

"Going back to sleep?" she asked him.

"No. I'm awake…"

Tony's expression was tender as he watched him try to stay awake.

"Push me closer, Pep," he whispered, looking down to make sure the brakes on the bed's wheels weren't locked. "Will you?"

She stood up, and moved the chair out from between the two beds, and then used the rail of the bed to pull Tony's bed right up against Peter's, bringing him within arm's reach of the boy, while Tony made sure all of his monitoring equipment followed so nothing would disconnect and start sounding off alerts to bring any doctors or nurses rushing into the room. When they were positioned where she wanted them, Pepper then locked the wheels on both beds to make sure they would slide apart at an inopportune moment, and took a spot on the other side of Peter to allow Tony to scoot himself slowly and a bit painfully until he was right beside Peter, and was on _his_ side, too, looking at the boy.

As she watched, Stark put his hand out and cupped Peter's cheek with his palm.

"Hey…"

Peter opened his eyes at the whisper, and found himself looking into Tony's loving gaze. He brought his hand up to cover Stark's, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing and needed the physical contact to reassure himself it was all real.

"You're really okay?" he asked, a single tear trickling down the side of his nose to form on the end before dropping off into the sheet.

"I'm fine, son," Tony murmured, scooting again, and now close enough to Peter that the boy moved his head from his pillow and rested his forehead against Stark's chest.

The cloak moved itself out of the way with a grudging grumble in Peter's mind at losing its sole custody of the boy, and Peter put an arm over Tony, wanting to hug him, but not sure how firm his grip could be without hurting him. Tony was equally careful, but he pulled Peter into his arms, tucking his chin onto the top of his head, and cradling him in arms that were strong and confident – despite aching.

Peter sighed, and relaxed against him, too weary, still, to do more than be held, and trying vainly to stay awake and wallow in the love and comfort that he was being given. That same comfort and reassurance and love was his undoing, of course, and he was asleep again in only moments.

"Stephen won't approve," Pepper said, watching as the cloak draped itself back over Peter now that everyone was settled, again. "He wanted you two to stay in your own beds."

"We _are_ in our own beds," Tony pointed out, smiling over at her before he closed his eyes and relaxed, still holding Peter and obviously unwilling to release him any time soon.

She shook her head, but didn't bother to try and argue. Besides, she loved seeing them both finally where they wanted to be. Even if it meant that _she_ couldn't cuddle with either of them at the moment, since there were too many tubes, wires and connections on the other side of both to dare try and tuck in beside them.

She didn't mind. She had a few things to take care of, and since they were with each other, she knew both would be fine if she left them for a while to go make some calls. Pepper got off Peter's bed and walked to the other side of Tony's. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be back in a while…"

"Okay. I love you."

She smiled.

"I love you, too."

And she left them to their rest.


	42. Chapter 42

"What are you doing?"

Stephen Strange looked up, flashed Natasha a brief, somewhat tired smile, and shrugged. He was sitting in the lounge at the table in the corner, deciding if he had time to eat, or if he just wanted to go back to the recovery room and check on Peter. The boy was making fair progress, but Strange wanted to make sure it stayed that way, and that meant constantly checking on him.

He decided that he had time to do both.

"I'm going to eat and then I'm going to go check on Peter."

"Dr. Adams was just in to check on him, according to Pepper. She says everything looks good." Romanoff smiled, and put her arms around the sorcerer from behind, resting her chin on the top of his head. "Looks like _you_ get to take the night off."

"It wouldn't hurt to double-check… just to make sure he doesn't need anything."

"She was just there. Peter's _asleep_ – and so is Tony. Pepper's with them."

"But Peter's _my_ patient."

She smiled, even though he couldn't see it.

"He'll still be your patient tomorrow – when you've had a chance to catch up on all the sleep that you've been missing taking care of him."

"I'm fine, Natasha. Doctors are good at-"

She covered his mouth with her hand and pressed her cheek against his, still behind him.

"Don't argue with me on this one, okay? Peter's not going to suffer from neglect if you sneak away for some rest. Even better, since Pepper and Tony are both with him, _I'll_ come keep _you_ company."

He turned his head to look at her.

"You will?"

"Of course." Romanoff let him go so he could stand up, and she put her arm through his "I have two ways to make you sleep, you know…"

He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I remember well."

"Good. Well, I'm out of sedatives, so we'll have to go with plan B."

Strange shrugged, suddenly more than a little interested.

"I could live with that."

She smiled.

"Come on."

OOOOOOO

T'Challa was released from his bed before Tony, even though their injuries had been similar. Dr. Adams, who was primary when it came to the care of both men, mentioned to Pepper that there had definitely been some interesting results from the Wakandan's blood tests when they'd run them. She and Strange had crossed checked them against the rest of the injured security people from that country, just to see if it was a cultural thing, but the results had been exclusive to T'Challa himself. Adams hadn't expounded on the statement, and Pepper didn't ask, assuming that it wasn't her business.

Besides, she had her hands full, just then, and didn't really have time to worry about the King of Wakanda's bloodwork.

Once she, herself, had been released from her bed and allowed by her doctor to come and go as she pleased, she spent a fair amount of time on the phone and in video conferences with her vice presidents, assistants and secretaries. She gave them a general idea of what was going on – without mentioning that they were hosting royalty at the compound – and had made sure that they were aware that she wasn't planning on being in to the tower for the remainder of the week to allow her to spend time with Tony and Peter while they recovered.

Now that the two were in the same room it was a little easier on her – although probably not on the medical staff. Tony was restless, and wanted to be with Peter in his bed where he could make sure the boy was constantly bolstered and supported with word and touch.

That had been fine the first time, since they all knew Peter would heal faster if he wasn't fretting about Stark's health. But he'd been reassured, and the other bed was less than three feet away. They needed to be able to run tests and check vitals and do a myriad of other things on both of their patients and it was easier to those things when they didn't have to try and untangle two different sets of tubing, wires and IVs. So Tony had grudgingly returned to his bed, where he grumbled about being treated like a prisoner in his own compound and watched with a sour expression as the cloak caressed Peter's cheek and hair and temple, clearly pleased to have him all to itself once more.

"It'll only be another couple of days," Pepper consoled, sliding into his bed as well and cuddling up against his side. "Stephen told me that you're healing very well for a man your age."

Which, of course, hadn't been what Tony had wanted to hear.

"_He's_ older than I am…"

"He didn't get _blown up_," she reminded him. "We'll have you back in your own bed in no time. Peter, too."

Which had just made him grunt, sourly, and bury his face in her hair so she could soothe him. Peter had a cloak, but Tony had Pepper.

OOOOOOO

"What does one get a sixteen-year-old boy who apparently has everything that he needs?"

Okoye frowned.

She and T'Challa were in his new quarters. VIP rooms that were right next to the ones that Shuri had been given when they were all brought to the compound after the explosion. At the moment, he was sitting on the sofa in the room, trying to resolve a dilemma that would definitely be a bother to him until he figured it out. The boy had saved his sister's life and needed to be rewarded for that. But even though he'd only been out of bed for a few hours, what he'd seen of the compound where Peter lived told him that there was almost certainly nothing the boy needed – or probably wanted.

"Normally I would say a sixteen-year-old _girl_, but in this case, that is not an _option_."

Especially since Shuri was already enamored of the boy. As far as both adults could tell, it seemed that she was merely interested in being friends with Peter Parker – which was fine – and he with her. They wanted to keep it that way, of course. The last thing the King of Wakanda needed was any kind of romantic feelings to develop between the two teens.

T'Challa nodded, brooding.

"He saved her life, though. I cannot simply send him a get well card and be done with it."

"True." The woman shrugged. "Invite him to Wakanda. That would be something one of a kind."

"True."

"Besides, if you don't, _she_ most certainly will. I know she has met Captain America."

They'd both heard the bargain that the two had made, after all.

"Tony would not allow him to come alone, however. Which means an entire entourage."

"_Avengers_ in Wakanda…?"

"_Friends_ in Wakanda," T'Challa corrected. Then he suddenly smiled. "Actually, I have an even _better_ idea."

"Oh?"

"I need to speak with Peter… _alone_… before we leave for home."

"Why?"

"I am going to offer him something that no other King of Wakanda ever has."

She waited, but he didn't explain. Instead, he simply leaned back into the cushion on the sofa and closed his eyes, thinking.

"A zebra?"

He smiled.

"Where would they put it?"

Good point.


	43. Chapter 43

"Comfortable?" Steve asked, his eyes warm as he looked at the girl sitting at the table across from him.

Shuri smiled, an automatic reaction to his smile, and nodded.

"Yes. Thank you."

She was, too. Despite the fact that the Avengers – well, it was only Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff – had her in a little room to do a debriefing on the events of the attempted abduction, she _was_ comfortable. She definitely wasn't nervous. They had waited a few days to do this, until T'Challa could be with her. Both for support in case she got emotional, and because she was a minor and they neither one would have dreamed of doing something like this without an adult relative close at hand.

"T'Challa?"

The Wakandan king nodded, still listing a little to the side due to his half-healed injuries. His chair was well-padded, and had arms. A pillow was tucked beside his thigh where a particularly nasty piece of glass had been pulled from his leg.

"I am, yes."

There were coffee and donuts, as well as a bowl of fruit, but they were ignored.

"Okay," Steve said. "So let's talk about Saturday night. You and Peter were in the 14th floor conference room that the convention center turned over to the academic decathlon group to have an after meet get together, right?"

"Yes. After the match was over, Peter said that they were having a get together on the top floor and invited me to come. T'Challa did not look like he wanted to allow me to go," she said, tossing her brother an amused smile. "But Peter told him that he would 'keep an eye on me', and I was allowed."

The smile faded as she realized just what that promise had entailed – even though none of them had known it at the time.

"This was at eight?" Rogers asked.

"Closer to 8:30. The match went late."

No one was writing any of this down. It was all being recorded, and the immediate audience was small by design, to make sure Shuri wasn't nervous with a larger group. Just the four of them. Even Okoye wasn't in the room – although she was guarding the door, carefully, and would watch the recording several times, later, to see what they could have done differently – if anything.

"Then what happened?"

"Peter, Ned and I went up to the top floor to meet with the others. There were students from both teams. The music was not very good, but Ned and another boy got into the convention center's sound system and linked in an ipod with better music. Then we ate and talked and listened to music and I attempted to teach Peter and the others some Wakandan dances – with varying degrees of success."

Natasha smiled at that imagine. She and Steve were well aware Peter could slow dance – they'd taught him – but the boy had absolutely no rhythm and it must have been entertaining to watch.

"But then you left?" Steve asked.

"Right. We had promised to meet with T'Challa and the others by 10:30. Peter pointed out that it was getting close to then, so I said goodbye to the other kids. Ned asked Peter if he was going to return, but he said he would spend time with Tony and Pepper if they were staying over and we left."

"And then?"

She frowned.

"We were walking, being followed by the security people, and I was asking him about living with the Avengers. He stopped, looking around, and then grabbed me and pulled me backward. I felt something brush by my neck and fell. The security people fell, too. I know – _now_ – that they were drugged, but did not at the time, and I do not know how _Peter_ knew what was happening, since there was no sound. But he swore and grabbed me again and we ran. We heard what sounded like explosions," she said, looking at T'Challa. "Then the alarms started going off and Peter tried calling for Tony, and I tried to do the same to T'Challa or Okoye – but nothing was working. I realized the technology was being jammed and told him such. We heard people coming, and went into a room with a bar and some pool tables, and he told me to get behind the bar."

"Did he say why?"

"No. But we did not know if the people coming were security people, or the ones we should be avoiding, so I did not argue. Peter came sailing over the bar – I do not know a better way to describe it, since I've never seen anyone jump like that." She looked at T'Challa and realized that she _had_, but not anyone other than him. "The door came open with a loud crash, and Peter threw balls at the two men who entered. They were holding guns but were not security people – not _Wakandan_, anyway."

"No," Natasha agreed. "They weren't ours, either."

She and Steve both assumed that Peter would have been warned by his senses, since _he_ wouldn't have known who was an Avenger agent and who wasn't.

"Then?" Steve prompted, drawing the conversation back to the narrative.

"We waited for a moment, and then we came out from behind the bar. The two men were unconscious, and we assumed more might come so we left. I asked if we should take their guns, but Peter said that he had not fired one, before, and asked if I had. Since I have not, we left without them and went to find a safer place to hide until we could discover what was happening.

"We did not make it too far before he pulled me down to the floor behind a plant." She hesitated, looking down at her hands. "I am afraid that I snapped at him for doing so, and told him to stop dragging me around. He told me to shush and I reminded him… I reminded him that I am a _princess_, and not to be shushed."

Steve nodded, and T'Challa reached out and took his sister's hand, giving her silent comfort and support. She was doing very well – her memory was amazing, anyway, he knew, but it was never easy to admit when you did or said something that might make you sound a little arrogant. Which she was, he knew. Confident might have been a better word for it, but she was royalty, after all, and being reminded of that for 16 years was going to rub off, at least a little.

"Then what happened?" he asked, before Rogers could.

"Gerard came. With two others. They had guns pointed at us, and he told me to get up. When I did, I asked him what was going on, but he ignored me and told Peter to get up, too, and to not try anything. He said he wanted me alive, but that he would kill me if necessary. Then he asked Peter if he was Tony's son, and knew his name. When Peter said yes, Gerard said that if there was anything left of Tony, he might ransom Peter back to him.

"Peter asked him what he meant, and Gerard said that everything was going according to his plan and that if Tony was with T'Challa, then he was not going to be well enough to pay anything. And he was smug about it, telling Peter that it was exciting to have to wait. Anticipation was exciting, was his exact phrasing."

Natasha frowned, realizing then why Peter had been so very certain Tony and Pepper were dead. He'd been told that they were, and had no reason to think the man was lying. For that matter, he might have felt something in his gut that told him Tony and Pepper were involved in the explosions. They still hadn't figured out exactly how his spider senses worked, after all.

"And then?"

"Peter told him he was lying. Gerard said he never lied, and then said that T'Challa was dead and that left me as the only claimant to the Wakandan throne that he had to worry about. He said he was going to get rid of me – or marry me off to someone suitable – and he would have access to all the vibranium."

T'Challa's grip on her hand was almost painful, now, and she looked over at him. His expression was a cross between fury and anguish, and she squeezed his hand before trying to release herself from his tight hold. He realized what he was doing and let her go for a very brief moment, but then took her hand once more.

"So it was about _money_?" he asked.

"That was exactly what _I_ said, brother. I told him that father trusted him, and that you did, as well, and that father had given him access to more vibranium than any had been allowed. He said father was a fool and so were you. He told me that they were going to take me someplace quiet and we would talk about the future of Wakanda and her riches, and told Peter…" she hesitated, again, remembering just how awful the words had been – and how heartlessly they'd been delivered. "He told Peter that we would watch the news and count how many pieces of Tony they find when it is all over."

"What did Peter say?" Steve asked, his expression bleak.

Shuri looked between the two Avengers. Steve looked upset, but Natasha's face was expressionless. Absolutely as if she were made of granite. Only her eyes gave her away at all, and they were cold. Shuri realized that Gerard was probably fortunate that he hadn't survived.

She hesitated. Not because of the sudden feeling that she was looking at a predator – which is what Romanoff made her think of immediately – but because she wasn't exactly sure how to describe what happened, then.

"He didn't say anything," she replied. "He just suddenly had an odd look in his eyes. Like nothing mattered. Gerard must have noticed something else, because he pointed his gun at him, and warned Peter not to be stupid, or a hero. Then Peter moved his hands. There was a yellow light, a gunshot, and then a red light. I felt something invisible around me, was pushed sideways, and everyone else fell – including Peter."

"A light?" T'Challa asked, confused. "What kind of light?"

"I do not know, brother," she admitted. "It is nothing I have ever seen before, and I have replayed the events in my mind several times. The red light hit the men – it hit Gerard _twice_. Then they fell. Peter did not get hit by the light. Gerard shot him before he was killed. He was bleeding very badly. I had a scarf and used it to try to staunch the bleeding. He… he took my hand and asked if I was okay. I assured him I was, and that he would be alright, but he said…" she hesitated, again, reliving the scary moment, and realized suddenly what the boy had told her, and what it meant. "Peter said that it didn't matter. He said that if they weren't… and I _think_ he meant Tony and Pepper. But Ned came, and he pulled off his sweatshirt to try to stop the bleeding and told MJ to take his watch and keep trying to reach Tony."

"Which is when the jammer went down," Steve said.

"Yes. Ned was still putting pressure on Peter's wound when a ring of fire opened in midair and Doctor Strange and Natasha walked through it. What was it?" she asked Natasha. "I have never seen technology such as that. A portal? Or a wormhole?"

Romanoff shook her head. She was beyond the expressionless fury, now, and her face showed chagrined amusement.

"I couldn't even _begin_ to tell you how it works, Shuri," she said, shrugging. "I was just along for the ride."

As much as that wasn't a real response, she knew that was all that she was going to get from the Avenger. Shuri shrugged, more than aware that she wasn't going to be able to intimidate Romanoff into telling her anything.

"You know the rest. Doctor Strange took care of Peter and brought us here."

Steve nodded.

"Thank you, Shuri," he told her – and again he gave her that smile that made his eyes warm, and turned her insides into goo. "You have a very impressive memory."

She felt herself blushing and hoped he couldn't see it.

"You are welcome. I am sorry that I could not tell you more."

"We've got Ned's side, already, and a brief statement from MJ – she's coming in this weekend, so we'll get her on tape, too, then."

"On _tape_, Steve?" Natasha repeated, rolling her eyes in amusement. "No one uses tape, any more. Welcome to the 21st century."

Rogers shrugged, giving Shuri a look that plainly told the girl that he was used to being teased by Romanoff, which made her smile.

"I will be sorry to miss seeing her," Shuri said.

The Wakandans were going to be leaving the day after the next. They were only waiting to make sure T'Challa would not reopen any partially healed wounds – and because her brother wanted to speak to Peter and the boy hadn't woken long enough to talk to anyone other than Tony, Pepper and his doctors.

She wanted to speak to Peter before they left, too.


	44. Chapter 44

His stomach woke him, finally.

Peter opened his eyes and looked around, tiredly. The light in the room was dimmed to minimal amounts, giving him the impression that it was probably late, even though there were no windows to confirm that hypothesis one way or the other. He didn't need a lot of light, though, and was able to see Tony sleeping in the bed near his own, blankets tucked up to his armpits and his head turned toward Peter, allowing the boy to see the bruises and small cuts on his face.

Nothing too serious, Peter decided, but evidence enough that he hadn't escaped from the explosions unharmed.

Peter's eyes moved, even though the rest of him didn't, and he saw Pepper sitting in the chair between their beds. She wasn't asleep. Her feet were propped up on the edge of Tony's bed, and her ever present laptop was resting on her thighs, providing Peter the light to see by, and illuminating her face in the near darkness. She was turned just enough by the position of her feet that he could see the display on the laptop and saw it was a search engine result for the metal vibranium.

He'd never heard of the stuff until the man holding the gun on Shuri had mentioned it, but he knew what it was, now. Not by looking it up – he hadn't been in any condition the last four days to really think of anything – but because the Mind stone had pulled the knowledge from T'Challa and Shuri's memories and had willingly shared them with Peter just then. He hadn't had a lot of time to process that, or even really consider it, but he knew it was a metal and that it was extremely useful and not at all common. Which also made it valuable.

Peter shifted in the bed, causing the cloak to shift with him. It was humming cheerfully in his mind, pleased that he was awake and not so distracted by the pain as he had been the few other times that he'd been awake. He winced as a different kind of pain shot through his chest and his stomach, but he bit back the grunt of pain that tried to force its way from him.

Pepper must have heard the mattress move when he did, or maybe the sound of the bedding. Or maybe she just had that maternal instinct, now, that let her know he was awake. Whatever it was, she turned her head toward him and smiled when she saw his eyes open. She set the still open laptop on the bed beside Tony's sleeping form and sat up a little more, but didn't stand. Her hand came to his forehead, and slid along the cheek that wasn't against his pillows.

"Hi, sweetheart," she whispered, unwilling to wake Tony if she could avoid it.

"Hi, Pepper."

His voice was a mere whisper, too, but only because his throat felt sore and raspy.

"How do you feel?"

"My stomach hurts."

"I know. It's getting better, though, I promise you."

He gave her a tired smile.

"Not that," he said. "That hurts, too, but I'm _hungry_…"

Pepper smiled, too.

"That's probably a good sign," she told him, gently. "I think that we should probably wait to feed you anything until Stephen has a chance to look at you, though."

"Is he here?"

The cloak was, after all.

"Somewhere. He's been short on sleep, lately, so hopefully he's getting some rest." Her hand brushed his hair back from his forehead. "Can you wait a little while, or should I find a different doctor to ask?"

"I can wait." His gaze went to Tony. "Is _he_ okay?"

"He's just sleeping. They're planning to let him out of bed tomorrow, I think. But he might refuse to go, so he can stay and keep you company."

"That doesn't make much sense," Peter whispered. "He can visit me without being stuck here."

"Maybe you can tell him that, okay?"

"Okay."

"How are you?" he asked, catching her hand with his and holding it against his side. He realized he didn't have a shirt on, but he was swathed with bandages, because he couldn't feel the touch against his skin. "They let you go?"

"Two days ago," she confirmed. "I'm fine. Just a little sore when I wake up."

"But you're _here_…"

"Someone needs to keep an eye on _Tony_," she told him with a smile. "To keep him out of trouble if he wakes up."

He had a feeling she was there for him, though, more than Tony. It made him feel good; wanted and loved and maybe even a little doted on – which he probably shouldn't be enjoying nearly as much as he had to admit, to himself, at least, that he was. It wasn't rare for him to be loved; May had loved him, and he knew that his parents had, but Pepper and Tony had a way of making him believe that he meant everything to them, and it was still astounding to him.

The thought warmed him to the core.

"He's _really_ okay?" Peter pressed.

"Yes. He'll be the first to tell you that," Pepper assured him. "_Tomorrow_. Let's try not to wake him up, okay? He needs as much sleep as he can get."

"Yeah."

"So do _you_," she added, squeezing his hand, lightly.

"I'm not sleepy."

"You _look_ sleepy."

He smiled.

"Maybe a little," Peter admitted.

Maybe a _lot_.

"If you sleep now, you can be awake when _Tony_ is," she said, gently. "He'd like that, I imagine."

"Think so?"

"Mm-hmm…" Pepper leaned over and brushed a kiss against his cheek. "Go back to sleep, sweet boy," she crooned, gently. "I'll stay with you."

"Promise?"

She smiled. That was hardly a commitment that had to be forced from her, after all.

"Yes."

"Okay…"

He closed his eyes, again, secure in the knowledge that he was loved, and wasn't alone. His stomach rumbled, gently, but the lassitude that overtook him was much stronger than the hunger that had woken him, and he was asleep again in minutes.

Pepper watched him sleep for a while, his expression much more peaceful than it had been in days, even though the laptop display threw his face into shadows. She resisted the urge to kiss him again, and knew that with the cloak keeping him warm she didn't need to adjust his blankets, but she was tempted to, anyway, just because she wanted to make sure he could feel her and knew that he wasn't alone. She forced herself not to, though, to keep him from waking again, and went back to her research.

When she grew tired, she'd join Tony in his bed, and when he woke – which he _would_ – she'd be able to tell him that his son woke and was hungry, and that he'd be able to talk to him in the morning.

OOOOO

Peter was sleeping when Stephen walked into the recovery room the next morning, but Pepper and Tony were both awake. Stark was in his bed, sitting upright and looking alert – if not a little sore – and Pepper was once more in the chair between the two beds, even though she'd spent the night cuddled beside Tony in his once shed gone to sleep.

She could have gone to their quarters, of course, and slept in their bed, but why bother?

"Good morning."

They both decided that he looked like he'd finally managed to get some sleep, himself, and some of the lines on his face were gone. Clearly, a good night's sleep had been good for all of them.

"Morning."

The doctor went to the side of Tony's bed, first, and checked the readouts of the monitors that were constantly keeping track of Tony's vitals.

"Any light-headedness?"

"No."

"How's the pain?"

"It's there," Stark admitted. "But I can live with it."

"Then I'd say you're ready to be released – into light duty, only. No Ironman unless it's an emergency, and no running marathons or anything like that. Stay out of trouble."

Stark smiled, practically beaming.

"I can do that."

The doctor didn't look convinced, but he was in a good mood, so he didn't even make a wry comment. He just shrugged.

"I'm sure Pepper can assist with that."

She smiled, too, her expression rueful.

"I've been trying to do it for _years_," Pepper pointed out.

Stark rolled his eyes, and Strange chuckled as he went around to check the equipment next to Peter's bed as well.

"He woke last night?"

Pepper nodded.

"Tony was asleep, but Peter told me that he was hungry."

"That's good, right?" Stark asked, watching as Stephen asked the cloak to move so he could check the bandages covering the boy's chest and stomach.

"Yes. Even better that it was an actual _conversation_," Strange said, pulling the blankets back, checking to make sure there was no seepage going through the bandages, and checking the edges of the tape. "If he's sleeping through the night and he's alert enough to hold a conversation, we might be able to lose the wires and tubes and get some solid food into him."

Peter woke, just then, either in response to the examination, or to the sound of the voices around him. He opened his eyes and winced as the doctor started checking the bandages on his stomach, but he didn't complain.

"Hey…"

"Good morning." Strange put his hand on the boy's forehead. "You're running a bit of a fever. Is it the cloak, or are you feeling ill?"

"I think it's just the cloak. I feel okay."

"Well enough to try eating an actual breakfast?"

"Yeah."

"We'll start with something _easy_," Strange suggested. "Oatmeal – and not much of it. Maybe some toast."

"Okay."

"Good."

Tony and Pepper watched as Stephen ran Peter through a series of tests to check reflexes, reactions and a ton of other things, and both almost held their collective breath, waiting for a verdict when he was finished.

"You're doing well," he said to Peter, and then looked over at the other two. "He _is_, really."

"Not well enough to be out of bed, though, right?" Pepper said.

"No. We're not there, yet. We'll keep him in here, today, and see how he handles solid food and being off the equipment. If there are no setbacks, we can transfer him to his own bed to finish his recovery where he'll be more comfortable."

"Sounds good," Tony said, clearly relieved.

"Any questions?"

He looked at Tony, first, but then to Pepper and Peter. They all shook their heads.

"You'll be around, though?" Stark asked. "Just in case?"

"Yes."

He wasn't quite ready to relax, just yet, and Peter meant to much to him to turn his care over to anyone else.


	45. Chapter 45

Peter finished the oatmeal, eating it slowly at Strange's suggestion, and aware that even though Pepper and Tony both had trays with breakfast in front of them, they were watching _him_ carefully, as well. It was good. Plain, since the doctor had advised against brown sugar or even raisins just yet, wanting to take it slow and careful, but it was still good.

He finished before the others, and leaned back against his pillows, turned slightly on his side to watch them eat their breakfasts and to listen to them discuss their day. Pepper was going to be gone long enough to do a conference call with some people at the tower. Strange had warned Tony not to go to sleep when _he_ was done eating, because the doctors would be in to give him a final check up before removing all the IVs and tubes and releasing him from his bed. He didn't know when it would happen, though, so they didn't have a real time frame for Tony's schedule.

Peter drifted off, still listening to them, but not quite up to handling an entire conversation – especially now that his stomach was full. The other two noticed right away, of course, and Pepper moved to take his tray before he managed to shift in his sleep and topple it.

"You're going to stay with him until he wakes up?" she asked once _they_ had finished eating as well and all trays were set aside on the bedside tables and pushed out of the way.

Stark nodded.

"I don't want him to wake up alone. It's too fresh, still."

Besides, hospitals – even _Avenger_ hospitals – can be scary places, even for budding superheroes.

"Steve tells me that Shuri's account of the attempted kidnapping is very detailed. She has an incredible memory – considering how traumatic things must have been while they were happening."

"I'll be interested in watching it."

"I don't know how long this meeting will last, but I'll be back when it's finished."

"It's still better than going into the city," he reminded her.

"I know."

She was lucky that she had the option to be able to work and still spend time with her little family and knew not everyone did. She got up and leaned over to kiss him and he held her against him for a long moment, allowing the kiss to become a sensual, lingering, one instead of a simple peck.

"Don't dawdle," he murmured when she finally pulled away.

"I won't."

Pepper turned and pulled Peter's blankets up a little, tucking them around him since the cloak had left when breakfast had arrived – probably unwilling to test the resolve of Peter's stomach. The boy mumbled something at her touch, stirring just a little in his sleep. She kissed him, too – a completely different kind of kiss, but just as tender and filled with love – and then left to make her call someplace where she wouldn't disturb them.

Stark watched her go, and then watched Peter sleep for a few minutes, just to see if he was going to wake up or if he was committed to the nap. When he didn't move, or open his eyes, the billionaire pulled out his phone and brought up the footage of Shuri's debrief. It would give him a chance to hear her side of the events of that night – something that he really hadn't had much chance to do, just yet.

OOOOOO

When he woke, next, Peter became aware almost immediately that he wasn't alone in his bed. He could feel arms around him, holding him, and if he was quiet – which he was – he could hear a heart beating near his ear that wasn't in time to his own. He sighed, softly, feeling warm and content, and the arms holding him tightened, almost imperceptibly.

"Awake?" Tony whispered.

"Yeah. I think so."

He opened his eyes and could see that Tony had simply pushed both beds together, again, because there was a lot more surface area than there had been, and he didn't feel crowded. Just loved.

"How's the stomach? Feeling sick, at all?"

"No."

Stark pressed a kiss against the top of his head, and then shifted himself back to his own bed, and Peter noticed that all the wires that had been connected to Tony were now absent, which gave him more mobility. He put his head on his pillow, laying on his side and looking at Peter, his expression tender.

"You're a remarkable guy, Peter Parker," Tony told him, his hand reaching out and cupping his cheek.

Peter was too sleepy to blush, but the compliment made him smile.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Stark smiled. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"In a minute," Peter said. "I don't think I'm all the way awake, yet."

"Sure."

"They cleared you?"

"Yes. I am officially well enough to get out of bed and pee all by myself."

Peter smiled at that, which was Tony's intention.

"Good."

"If you pass all the tests that Stephen runs you through later today, you, too, will be allowed to be disconnected from your monitors – but you're going to be in bed a while, still. We don't want to take any chances with you. Not yet."

"Okay. Is Shuri still here? Or did they go home?"

"They're still here. T'Challa was cleared for his return home yesterday evening, but they want to see you before they leave, so they've been enjoying our hospitality while they wait for you to wake up."

"Really?"

"Yes. Stephen says it's probably just as well, though. No matter how comfortable their plane is, a long flight is going to be painful for T'Challa, so the longer he convalesces here while he waits for you, the better off he'll be."

"Oh."

"And Shuri is going crazy," Stark added with an amused smile.

"Because she wants to leave?"

"Because she came to check on you the other day and when she reached out to touch you Stephen's cloak slapped her."

"Did she get hurt?"

"No. Nothing like that. She just couldn't believe me when I told her it was magic, and as far as I know, she's been in the compound's net trying to figure out the technology behind it. Friday tells me she hasn't actually tried hacking into the system, but her explorations have been pretty intense."

"She's pretty smart."

"Yeah. I gather that. But too polite to go where she's not wanted, it would appear."

Not that Stark was worried that the girl could hack into Friday's system – but he knew Ned could get into the compound's system if he really made the attempt, and Shuri was probably an equal to Ned.

"She didn't ask Doctor Strange?"

"No. But she might ask _you_, so be prepared."

"Okay. What do I tell her?"

"Same thing I did, I suppose. MJ knows it moves, so no harm done if Shuri does, too. It's not like she lives next door and is going to be hanging out trying to dissect the thing to figure out how it works."

"And if she doesn't believe me?"

"Then she goes home thinking we're up to our necks in weird tech. Which we _are_, right?"

"Yeah."

Stark reached out and touched his forehead, brushing his hand along the boy.

"She's also trying to figure out how you saved her with just a gesture and some lights, so she might ask you that, too."

"Did I?" he asked.

"Apparently. Stephen is assuming the Mind stone at work – so _you_ didn't really do anything. It took over and pulled your chestnuts out of the fire. Better to not tell her about the Mind stone, though, okay?"

"Yeah. She probably wouldn't believe me, anyway."

Tony smiled at that.

"It's amazing what we can get used to, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Ready to eat?"

"Yeah."

"Preference?"

"A burger?"

That elicited another smile, and another tender caress.

"We probably should ask Stephen before we try anything so ambitious. The last thing we want is for you to have stomach issues on top of everything else."

Peter nodded. He definitely agreed.

"Okay."


	46. Chapter 46

He got his burger. Granted, it didn't have much on it – just because Strange wanted to be a little cautious – but there was even a handful of French fries to go with it. Pepper joined him and Tony in time to eat lunch with them, and she and Stark sat on his bed and ate their lunch – not burgers – while Peter occupied his own, and carefully ate everything on his plate.

Then, with the other two watching intently, Stephen once more ran Peter through a lot of physical tests, and then quizzed him on how he was feeling and where he hurt the most. Satisfied with the answers, he finally stepped back and nodded.

"I think you're well enough to be out of this room and put into your own bed. Do you agree?"

Which was his way of asking Peter if he would prefer to stay another day or two under constant supervision. The boy nodded, though.

"Yeah. I'm feeling better."

He was _sleepy_, though, they could all tell. The doctor looked at Tony and Pepper.

"_Mom_? _Dad_? Would you prefer he stayed _here_?"

They both smiled at the amused expression on his face when he called them that, but they shook their heads, watching as Peter closed his eyes, his head settling on the pillows.

"He has Karen in his room if anything comes up," Tony pointed out. "That way he's still only a call for help away if he needs it, but he can have a little privacy, too."

Pepper simply nodded, again, and rested her hand on Tony's leg as Peter fell asleep in the middle of the conversation. Strange turned to the boy, and made an amused noise.

"He's going to do a lot of sleeping," the doctor reminded them both. "Don't be worried if he falls asleep like that – so suddenly. I'll unhook everything and take out the IVs and the tubes and get this end ready for transfer, if you guys want to go make sure his room is ready."

"Have we thanked you already?" Tony asked, as he and Pepper both got up.

"You did."

"Good. It still applies."

"Doublecheck the food in his _fridge_, too, okay?" Strange told them, not replying to the thank you. "Let's not have a repeat of the shrimp thing if we can avoid it."

Pepper smiled.

"We'll take care of it."

OOOOOOO

When Peter woke next, he was surprised to find that he was in his own bed. He lay still, his eyes taking in the fridge and the window for a long moment before he rolled painfully onto his back and looked over at the TV and the dresser in his closet. There was still daylight coming in through his window, and it took him a while to realize that he didn't have the IV needles in his arm anymore – and there were no monitors keeping track of his vitals.

The cloak wasn't with him, either.

"Karen?"

"_Yes, Peter?"_

"Is Doctor Strange in the compound?"

"_No."_

"Is Tony?"

"_Yes. He is in the lounge."_

"Pepper?"

"_Also in the lounge. Would you like me to have Friday call them?"_

"No. Thanks." They probably needed a little time to themselves, and Peter didn't hurt enough that he needed them right there with him to comfort him. "How long have I been here?"

"_Three hours, ten minutes."_

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

OOOOOOO

Stark was in the lounge. He was sitting at a table with Pepper, T'Challa and Shuri, teaching the two how to play cribbage. They were discussing the next day, since the Wakandans were going to be taking their security people and heading for home, and Stark had just offered them the use of the Quinjet landing pad for their own personal jet – which also had vertical capabilities – when he suddenly smiled at the message that hit his communications watch.

"Peter's awake."

"Should we go check on him?" Pepper asked.

"No. He didn't ask for us to come, and he could have if he needed us. We'll give him a chance to have some time away from adult supervision."

She nodded, but Shuri looked at them.

"Do you think he would mind if I went to say hello?"

Tony shook his head with a smile.

"I think he'd like someone his own age to talk to for a while."

The girl set her cards down and excused herself. She didn't need to ask them where Peter's quarters were. The last few days she'd learned the layout of the compound. She knew exactly where _Steve's_ quarters were and knew Peter was only two doors down from his.

T'Challa watched her leave, and turned to Stark.

"Should I be concerned that she seems fascinated with him?"

Tony shook his head.

"Peter's level-headed. He'd never do anything we wouldn't approve of."

"_He_ is not the one I'm worried about."

Pepper smiled.

"You're probably okay."

The King of Wakanda smiled, as well.

"Tell me of your wedding plans," he asked. "Do you have a date set, as of yet?"

Tony gestured to Pepper. _He_ would elope to Vegas the next day if she gave him the word, so she was definitely the one to answer those questions.

"We haven't decided the perfect timeline, yet," she said, amused with Tony rather than annoyed. "I'd like it to be in the summer. For one thing, the weather is more reliable and I'd like it to be outside. For another, Tony wants a month long honeymoon and Peter can't be out of school for that long."

"Is it a common practice to take your young on the honeymoon, here?" T'Challa asked.

"No," Stark replied. "And he probably wouldn't want to go. But we're not going to leave him for that long, so we'll start our honeymoon and then have him come join us. So, summer would work best, of course."

"Will he stay here alone, then?"

"Not _alone_. There are plenty of people here – even if something came up and some of them had to go."

"We might ask Stephen – Doctor Strange – to put him up for some of that time. It'll depend what kind of schedule he has going on, too."

"That is good to hear," T'Challa said. "He seems very responsible, but Shuri is, as well, and I would hesitate to leave her alone for that long."

OOOOOO

He was sitting up in his bed, looking through his phone for the first time since Saturday night when a tingle warned him at the same time there was a gentle knock on the bedroom door. Peter looked up and was somewhat surprised to see Shuri standing at his door, looking at him, expectantly.

"May I come in?" she asked. "Your outer door was unlocked and I did not know if you would have preferred I knocked on it…"

"No. It's fine," Peter told her, setting his phone to the side and sitting up a little straighter. "Come in."

She looked around as she entered his bedroom, her gaze taking in the TV and the refrigerator as well as the rest of the furnishings, but there wasn't much to look at and he didn't have a chair for her to sit on. He realized it at the same time that she did, and gestured for her to use his bed if she wanted to.

She went over to his fridge and opened it, instead, curious what he kept in it.

"Why does all the food in your refrigerator have dates on it?"

He smiled, and shrugged. It hadn't had before, so that was new.

"To make sure I don't eat anything that has been sitting too long."

"Has that happened?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Shuri sat on the edge of the bed.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm okay," he assured her. "Doctor Strange let me come to my room, so I must be doing alright. Otherwise I'd still be in the medical room and attached to all the machines."

"True. Do you hurt?"

"A little. Mostly I'm just sleepy. They gave me some pills to take to keep from hurting too much."

"I never had a chance to thank you for saving me…"

He shrugged.

"You don't have to. I mean. I was saving _me_, too, really."

Shuri shook her head.

"No." She hesitated, though. "I need to ask, however. How did you _do_ it? What technology did you use to save me? All I saw was lights – a red one and a yellow one."

"I'm not _sure_," he admitted. Which was true. "I really don't remember much about what happened."

"What technology do you have that employs lights as a _solid_?" she asked, curiously. "Or was it even a light? Or was the light simply a by-product of some kind of an energy weapon? Do-"

"Shuri…" Peter felt a pressure building behind his left eye, and he was getting a headache from the questions – or from trying to decide what he could say. "I'm not sure what I used," he repeated. "I really don't remember. I'm not trying to hide it or anything, but it's just a blur to me, right now. Tony has a lot of technology, and some of it is cutting edge – plus the Avengers are pretty good at making things. It might not have even been _me_. It might have been some kind of remote weapon. No one has really told me what happened, yet…"

She realized that he was still in bed from the events of that night and had been hurt badly enough that it was very possible that he didn't remember any of it. His expression was pained – as if his head hurt, suddenly.

"I am sorry, Peter," she said, contritely. "Perhaps, if you have a chance to think about it you may remember."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"If you do, will you explain it to me?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Sure. I don't have your number, though," he pointed out.

Shuri smiled and handed him a small card that she had in her hand. On it was an email address, as well as a phone number.

"Now you do," she said, watching as he took it, and looked down at it. With a smile, Peter picked his phone up, and tapped out a quick email, and then a text, giving her his own information with the simple motion. "You were very _brave_, Peter."

He blushed, and shrugged.

"I.. uh… thanks. I'm sure you were, too, though. I mean… Tony said that you saved my life, keeping me from bleeding to death…"

"That was Ned, more than me. If _he_ hadn't shown up when he did, it is very possible…" she trailed off, and her eyes were suddenly bright with unshed tears. "I have never had someone put themselves in so much danger for me, before. It was amazing. And scary."

Peter was floundering for a reply.

"_Tony is asking if you are ready for dinner, Peter…"_ Karen said, interrupting.

"Who was that?" Shuri asked, looking around.

"That's Karen," Peter answered. "She's my AI."

"Really? Fully interactive?"

"Sure. Say hi, Karen."

"_Hello, Shuri."_

"Hello, Karen. Are you audio and visual?"

"_No. There are no cameras in Peter's quarters. I interact in audio, and only with Peter – although I do relay messages to and from Peter and Tony Stark by way of Friday."_

Shuri looked at Peter.

"_Friday?"_

"That's _Tony's_ AI. She's in his Ironman suit, the tower and here at the compound. She's a lot more interactive than Karen, but I think Tony did that on purpose – to ease me into the whole AI thing."

"That was probably wise. I imagine it can be overwhelming to feel that you are always being watched."

"It could be," he agreed. "Karen's great, though."

"_Are_ you ready for dinner?" she prompted. "You should probably reply, or he'll think you're passed out or something."

He smiled.

"Karen would let him know that I'm okay. Karen? Tell Friday I'm ready whenever they are. There's no hurry. I have good company after all."

Shuri just smiled, and reached over at patted his leg.


	47. Chapter 47

While they waited, Peter asked Shuri more about Wakanda, and she pulled out her phone – which was just as impressive as Tony's as far as the display and how interactive it was – and brought up some videos of the people there, as well as the scenery and landscapes. He watched, fascinated, and shook his head.

"It's amazing that your people have been hidden away for so long with no one even aware that they were so advanced."

"It was better for us," he said, with a shrug. "My brother is intending to open Wakanda somewhat to the outside world, but old habits die hard and I imagine we will not be getting a McDonalds anytime soon."

Peter smiled at that.

"Did you have a chance to go there? We have one down the highway a way."

Now it was Shuri's turn to smile, and her eyes lit up.

"Steve Rogers took me. And Clint. It was _amazing_."

"Yeah, they have good fries…"

She laughed and slapped his leg.

"Not the _food_, Peter. The fact that I spent the afternoon at a fast food place with Captain America and Hawkeye. It was very exciting. He was not in his _uniform_, of course, but that did not matter so much. I have to admit to being a fan since I was a little girl and first heard of him – _and_ the Avengers."

"Yeah, me, too," Peter assured her.

"You will have to come to Wakanda, now," she told him. "We had a bargain, and even if it was unintentional, you held up your end. I met Captain America." She hit a button on her phone and a selfie with her and Steve came up. "And spent time with him. So I owe you an invitation to my home. Where I will show you many zebras."

"I don't know if Tony would let me go, but if he does, yeah, I'd _like_ that."

"You'd like _what_?" a voice asked from the doorway.

The two teens looked over and saw Stark had arrived during their conversation. He wasn't alone; behind him were Pepper – and T'Challa.

"I was telling Peter that I want him to come visit my home, someday, Tony," she said, smiling. "We made a bargain; he would help me meet Captain America, and I would show him a zebra. I have met Captain America, so I owe him an invitation. I would like him to come, if you and Pepper allowed it?"

Stark leaned against the door frame, amused, as Pepper went into the room and circled the bed to sit on the other side of Peter, while T'Challa joined Tony at the doorway.

"That would be up to your brother, I assume."

Shuri looked at T'Challa.

"It _was_ a bargain, brother."

"I know. I heard." He'd been there, after all. "Peter is welcomed to come to Wakanda – as are you and Pepper, Tony. It would probably be better to wait until he is healed and has time to make the visit an extended one. My country is larger than you might think, and there is much to see."

"We'd like that," Pepper said. "From the little I've seen, it's a beautiful place."

"But he _doesn't_ bring a zebra home," Tony stipulated. "He's allergic to horses, and I have to think a zebra is close enough to do the same kind of damage."

T'Challa wasn't the only one to smile, and Peter blushed.

"Fair enough."

"We're going to eat dinner," Stark said. "Do you want to join us?"

"I _do_," the Wakandan said. "But we will decline this time. Peter has only just been released from his sickbed, and I am sure you would like some time to reassure yourselves that he will be all right." Besides, the boy looked tired, as far as T'Challa could see, and he didn't want him to think he had to stay awake to entertain them. "Perhaps breakfast tomorrow? Or lunch, before we depart?"

"Sound good," Tony agreed, watching as Shuri reluctantly stood up. "We'll shoot for breakfast, but just let someone know if that ends up not working out for your schedule, and we'll do lunch instead."

"Thank you, Tony," T'Challa offered Stark his hand and Shuri smiled as she joined her brother.

"We will see you in the morning, then."

"I look forward to it."

He watched as the two excused themselves and left Peter's quarters to go find some dinner of their own, and then he turned to Peter.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did she ask you about the cloak?"

He shook his head.

"She _did_ ask about what happened in the hallway and how I saved her."

"And you said…?"

"That I didn't remember," he admitted. "Because I _don't_. From the sounds of it, it was magic, but I don't remember a lot of it."

Tony walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, brushing his hand against the boy's forehead. He was glad Peter didn't remember it, really. From what Shuri's debriefing had revealed, Gerard Poole had been a slimy son of a bitch who had gotten exactly what he deserved.

"Stephen said that that is common in traumas like being shot. It's nothing to worry about, okay?"

"Yeah. No. I'm not worried about it."

"You look tired. Do you want to eat? Or would you rather rest for a while?"

He smiled.

"I'm hungry."

"Of _course_ you are," he said, fondly. "I'll ask to have some dinner brought to us, here. Stephen doesn't want you eating anything too exotic, right now, so I hope you're ready for chicken and potatoes."

"Sound good."

OOOOOOO

He made it through dinner without falling asleep on them. Which surprised both Tony and Pepper since he really looked worn out. They decided that he was fighting his exhaustion in order to spend time with them, now that he was out of the medical room. The fear was still fresh for him – and for them, of course. The psychological wounds as red and raw as the ones under the bandages wrapped around his belly and chest and the best way to soothe them was to remind himself that they were fine, and that they were there for him.

The universe _could_ be fair, sometimes.

Tony and Pepper cleared the remains of the meal and set it outside Peter's door to be taken care of, and then settled into his bed with him, despite him mentioning that they probably had other things that they needed to take care of that evening. They had royalty visiting at the compound, after all, and there was probably plenty to do to get ready for their departure the next day.

"We have time," Pepper assured him, fluffing a pillow and tucking it behind her and then draping several blankets over the three of them. "We can watch a movie and have a relaxing evening together, without worrying that someone is going to come in and interrupt to ask for a blood sample."

Tony was on the other side of the boy, and equally relaxed next to him. Both of them were careful with his injuries – and Stark still ached a bit, himself, of course – but he was tucked right up against Peter, and started a movie before he could object.

"Relax, Peter," he told him. "If anyone needs us, they know where to find us. We're good."

He didn't have a choice, really. Warmed inside and out from his position between the two of them, with Pepper's hand resting lightly against his side and Tony's arm around him, he knew he wasn't going to make it through the movie. And he knew they didn't mind. They just wanted to spend time with him, and since he was confined to his bed, more or less, that was where they would be, too.

He didn't even bother with the movie. Peter took Pepper's hand and held it against his side and buried his face against Tony's chest and went to sleep.


	48. Chapter 48

He was alone when he woke very early the next morning, but didn't feel less loved because of it. He simply assumed – correctly – that Tony and Pepper had finished the movie and had then tucked him in and headed for their own bed. If he woke and needed them, he knew they would come, after all.

Peter sat up, wincing at just how much his insides hurt. From his chest – which was mostly little gouges under the skin from where pieces of the bullet that had tried to kill him had scattered along his ribs – to his stomach, where it really, truly hurt the most. Doctor Strange had told him that he'd sustained a fair amount of damage. Mostly to a couple of larger blood vessels – which had been why he'd bled so heavily – but also the surgeon had had to repair damage to his liver, his intestines and a piece of a kidney.

He'd been warned that it would hurt, but hadn't really anticipated just how _much_.

It didn't matter, though, he decided as he carefully got out of bed, frowning at just how itchy and grimy he felt after so many days being in bed and not getting a real shower. He was alive, and Tony and Pepper were both okay, too. Despite everything that had happened. He walked slowly out of his bedroom, through the living room and into the bathroom.

Even better, they won the competition and had made MJ look good doing it so easily.

He couldn't take a shower. He'd been told not to get the bandages wet – and he knew Strange wasn't going to be flexible with that. He did wash his hands and face, though, and wet his hair down to comb it so he didn't look quite so rough. By the time he'd done that, he was pretty much wiped out, again, and was forced to sit on the arm of the sofa as a slight wave of dizziness overtook him on his way into his bedroom to get clean clothes to change into.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

He looked over his shoulder at Natasha, who was standing at the door to his quarters. She was dressed, but he assumed she hadn't been awake for long and had come to check on him before starting her day.

"Getting cleaned up a little," he told her, honestly. "I itched."

She walked over and stood in front of him, her hands cupping his cheeks so she could tilt his head up to look at her.

"You look better than you did," she conceded. "But I think you're limited to the bathroom and back for the next week or so…"

"No one told me that," Peter pointed out, leaning forward and resting his forehead on her stomach and closing his eyes. "But you're probably right."

He was pretty sure he was going to need help getting back to bed after being upright for so long.

Natasha put her hands around him, running her fingers through his wet hair. She was just glad he was upright at all. He'd really given her a scare, this time. The worst part was that he hadn't done anything wrong and she couldn't scold him for scaring her – as much as she wanted to.

"Need help back to bed?" she asked after a long moment of simply holding him and reassuring herself that he was okay.

"Please."

She smiled and pulled back, then, and offered him an arm to help him up to his feet. Then it was a simple matter of steadying him as he walked with her back to his room and to the bed. He settled in, but remained in an upright position – which told her that he was tired, but not sleepy.

"Want some company for a while?" she asked, sitting on the edge of his bed without waiting for an answer.

"You're not busy?"

"Not, yet. It'll get busy later, when the Wakandan jet arrives and the place is teeming with their security people – and ours watching them."

"I haven't had much chance to see them all," Peter told her. "Okoye seems to know her stuff, though."

"They all do," she agreed. "They're probably as good as our people are. I haven't had any reason to test them, or ask to spar with them, but I'd like to see some of the Dora Milaje in action."

"You've heard of them before?" Peter asked, interested.

"Never," she admitted. "But Wong has, and he told me all that he knew. They go back a long way, protecting the royal family of Wakanda."

"Wong's a _smart_ guy, isn't he?"

Peter was always impressed by the fact that the sorcerer seemed to know about things that no one else had ever even known existed.

"That's what reading will do for you," Natasha agreed.

"When are they leaving?"

"After lunch."

"They seem like nice people, don't they?"

He thought so, but he wanted to know she thought, well aware that his instincts were nowhere near as sharp as hers were – and he wanted to be friends with T'Challa and Shuri, and even the security people, but had trusted the wrong people before and didn't want to be stung, again.

"Yes, they do. I've had a chance to speak to all of them – including Shuri and her brother."

"She's pretty smart."

Natasha smiled.

"You like her."

"Yeah. Not _like_ like her, but like her. You know? As a _friend_. Not something more than that."

"I know what you mean."

"She's a princess, after all. You probably can't like her any other way, I bet."

"Different country, different rules," she pointed out.

"It's okay?"

"To like her? Of course. You've _already_ become her friend, Peter. It's too late to take it back, now."

He nodded.

"Did I miss anything else?" he asked.

He thoroughly enjoyed knowing all of the good gossip going on in the compound. Nothing hurtful, just who had birthdays, wedding anniversaries, parties that he may have missed – that kind of thing. Natasha knew that, and as a spy, she was pretty good at knowing everything that was going on around her – even when it was mundane and boring. It was as natural as breathing. She sat with him and told him what little he'd missed while he'd been stuck in bed, and made sure that the stories were amusing ones, so that when Pepper and Tony walked in to check on him just before breakfast, he was smiling and feeling pretty good about himself, and the world around him in general.

She leaned over and kissed him.

"I'll come check on you later, baby," she told him. "I need to get some schedules taken care of with Steve."

"Okay."

When she left, Tony and Pepper questioned him about how he was feeling and how he'd slept. He was able to honestly answer that he was just a bit tender, but felt good, and they asked if he minded extra company for breakfast – or would he prefer that T'Challa and Shuri join them for lunch, instead.

"No. Now is fine."

Tony left, presumably to get breakfast, and apparently also to fetch the Wakandans, because they were with him when he returned half an hour later, loaded down with a cart that held platters of food, juices and a pot of coffee. If they thought it odd to have what basically amounted to a picnic on Peter's bed, neither complained.

The four just seated themselves around him, T'Challa and Shuri taking over the foot of his bed, while Tony and Pepper had more intimate spots next to him closer to the head rest. They kept the conversation light, with Tony and Peter mainly asking questions about day to day life back at their home, which were answered with anecdotes and some stories that T'Challa seemed glad to have someone new to tell, which left Shuri blushing with embarrassment and the Americans grinning in amusement.

"I'll bet you'll be glad to get home," Pepper said when they were clearing their dishes and finishing the last of the coffee. "I don't imagine this is how you normally begin your day."

T'Challa shook his head.

"It is not, but that does not mean I have not enjoyed it. Being king means many ceremonies, sometimes, and it is pleasant to be able to forgo them, occasionally."

"I enjoyed it," Peter told him, sincerely. "But your mom must miss you guys."

Shuri shrugged.

"We speak with her often, so she knows we are well."

"There is something I must bring up with Peter before we depart, however," T'Challa said, his expression turning somewhat serious.

Shuri didn't roll her eyes and hid her amusement, because he was suddenly being royal, and it never failed to amuse her how he could change his bearing so quickly.

Tony caught the serious expression immediately, of course – as did Pepper.

"Yes?"

"I owe Peter an enormous debt," the Wakandan king told them. "Gerard Poole was a friend of my late father. Shuri and I knew him as we were growing up, and my security had come to me with speculations that he had something to do with my father's untimely death – although we had no proof. When he proposed a meeting – asking for both myself and Shuri to attend – I did not suspect he would do anything blatant, obviously, or I would not have allowed Shuri to go, and would have had a heavily armed security force protecting her."

"No one could have suspected, brother," Shuri pointed out, frowning.

He raised his hand to quietly stop her, and she fell silent. She was a princess, yes, but he was king – and despite her relaxed attitude with him since he was her brother – he was _her_ king. Which meant something.

"Because of that miscalculation, Peter – as well as yourselves, Tony and Pepper – was put into harm's way. Your injuries are all my doing, as if I had ordered them myself. More importantly, however, Peter saved Shuri's life at great risk – and injury – to himself. That demands remuneration."

"You don't need-"

Now it was Peter who T'Challa's upraised hand interrupted.

"Only a generation ago, a life debt such as the one owed to you would have given Shuri's hand to you in marriage – if you desired it."

Peter's eyes widened in sudden concern and his already pale face became more so.

"Oh. Um. Yeah. No. Not that I… I mean, she's, you know-"

"Relax, Peter," Shuri said, smiling at his sudden discomfiture. "That was years ago. The laws have changed, even if the traditions take longer."

"She is right, my young friend," T'Challa said, also smiling at the boy's reaction. Obviously, Peter had no designs on his sister. Which was all to the good, as far as any big brother would be concerned. "I owe you a debt, but it will not be my sister."

"I appreciate that," Peter said. "But we can just say it's the thought that counts. Really. I… I have everything that I need. You guys don't owe me anything."

"I thought you might see it that way," T'Challa told him. "So instead, I thought of something else that might appeal to you. Not necessarily a gift to you, but something that would be for those whom you love the most."

He pointedly looked over at Pepper and then at Tony, who raised an eyebrow.

"I have everything that I want, too, T'Challa," Tony told the king. He gestured at Peter and Pepper, not even thinking of the material items that he possessed, even though they were considerable. "We're happy."

"You are getting married…"

"Yes."

"Then, as a gift to Peter, and for the first time ever in my county's history, I tender an invitation to you and to Pepper to have your honeymoon in Wakanda. My country will open itself to you and your family, and will embrace you for as long as you desire to spend within her boundaries."

Shuri smiled. She had been told the night before what he had been planning, so she wasn't surprised by the announcement.

"It would be our great pleasure and honor to have you accept this offer," she told them. "My brother tells me that you want a long honeymoon, and yet that Peter would not want to spend all that time with you, for worry that he would be intruding on your time to yourselves. So, after your wedding, you two could come, first, and enjoy a private tour – a safari, if you will – and when you are ready, and he is ready, Peter can come join you. And I will get to keep my end of the bargain, as well."

"Let me get this straight," Stark said. "You're inviting us to Wakanda?"

T'Challa nodded.

"Yes."

"Your secret country that no one else has ever really had a chance to look around?"

"Yes. For as long as you want – although Pepper did mention a month, so we could start there."

"It is a great honor," Shuri said, leaning forward, excitedly. "Aside from very brief trading meetings and the like, no foreigners have ever been allowed beyond our barriers."

Peter smiled. Or maybe he was just relieved.

"I love the idea," he told them.

"You just don't want to marry Shuri," Pepper said, making the girl smile and the boy blush.

"I was wondering what to get you for a wedding present. If this is what T'Challa wants to do for you to call us even, it's a great idea."

"If you are interested in going," the king added, not wanting them to feel as if it was a royal command for them to accept. "If not, I will think of something else to do for Peter."

"Huh…" Tony's eyes were amused. "Go to an exotic land that we know very little about, but have seen pictures and videos of so we know it is beautiful, spend our honeymoon exploring that land and meeting her people… or go to Europe or Asia or someplace where _everyone_ goes? I'm _in_. Pepper?"

She nodded.

"Absolutely. Thank you for the offer."

T'Challa smiled.

"It is settled, then. Once you have decided on a date for the wedding, you will need to let us know, so we may make sure you are well taken care of."

"Wow," Peter said. "That's going to be great."

And he was going to have plenty of time to see a zebra.


	49. Chapter 49

Peter fell asleep while the others were still discussing Wakanda and the possibility of taking a trip there. Not that it wasn't an exciting prospect to the boy, but he'd been up a while – even before they had brought breakfast – and he was now full and once more was ready to sleep. Pepper noticed, first, and smiled when she pulled his blanket up a little.

"It's not the company," she apologized to the others.

T'Challa shook his head, unconcerned.

"We can complete the final arrangements remotely," he told her and Tony. "There is plenty of time to decide when you will want to arrive and what you would like to see separately, and what you would like to see once he comes to join you."

"He will be interested in my lab," Shuri said, smiling with anticipation.

"Your lab?" Tony echoed.

"Yes. It is where I work on whatever projects I have currently at hand, and-"

"She can explain it all to you when you are there," T'Challa interrupted, glancing at Peter to make sure they weren't disturbing the boy. "We should probably go, so he can get his rest. I need to make sure everything is ready and our plane will arrive on time."

"They are underway, brother," Shuri reported. "Okoye advised me of this just this morning."

"Good." The Wakandans smiled. "Will we see you before we leave?"

"Of course," Stark told him. "We'll be on the jet pad, if we don't see you at lunch."

T'Challa and Shuri left and Tony looked down at Peter, resisting the urge to touch him and probably wake him. Pepper got up and walked around the bed to sit beside him, and leaned into him, smiling when he automatically put his arms around her and held her.

They watched Peter sleep for a few minutes, each separately wondering how someone so unassuming could have so quickly become the center of their lives.

"What do you have planned this morning, momma?" Tony asked, finally, speaking softly, to avoid waking him.

"One conference call, and then whatever you need from me. You?"

"I'm going to go over the arrival of the Wakandan aircraft with Steve and Natasha – just to make sure we don't have any surprises. Aside from that, my schedule is clear until lunch time."

She smiled and took his hand in hers.

"What do you think about June 21st?"

"I _think_ that it is the longest day of the year and that there is a high demand for people to hang out and dance naked at Stonehenge that day in time to see the summer solstice."

"Peter's last day of school is June 9th."

"Yeah?"

He knew that.

"Yes."

"_And_…?"

He was smiling, maybe catching on to what she was thinking, but unwilling to say it before she did. Just in case she was actually thinking that maybe she wanted to go to Stonehenge that day, or something.

"And what would you think about getting married that day?"

"To _you_?"

"Probably. Unless you do something incredibly brave and earn yourself the hand of a Wakandan princess between now and then…"

"I think it is too far away from _today_."

Pepper smiled.

"But you'll think about it?"

"I've _already_ thought about it," he said, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing her fingertips. "You've convinced me. June 21st, it is."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They looked at each other, and smiled at the same time.

"Now that we have a date…. We probably need a _place_."

"You want to be outside, somewhere."

"Yes. Providing we can have an alternate close at hand – just in case it rains."

"Do you have a place in mind?"

"No. But we can do some research. Now that we have a date, we can figure out a timeline and start working out the other details."

"You know I'll do whatever you want, right? It's _your_ day, after all. I'm just there to keep you from changing your mind and running away."

"You just don't want to have to help with the planning," she accused.

"They have wedding planners for that sort of thing," he pointed out. "I will make sure Peter and I arrive at the proper place, at the proper time and even in tuxedos. That can be _my_ job."

Whether because he heard their voices so cheerful and close at hand, or because he heard Tony say his name, Peter stirred, shifting in his sleep and moving a little on to his side, wincing.

"Tony…?"

Stark smiled at Pepper, even though she looked chagrined at having woke him. He put a hand gently on the boy's arm, rubbing it carefully.

"Shhh… I'm here, Peter."

He didn't open his eyes.

"Time to get ready for school?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. Maybe he wasn't _that_ awake, after all. Tony winked at her.

"No. Not yet, son. Go back to sleep for a while, okay?"

He mumbled something and nodded, and then did as he was told, settling without another word. Stark leaned over and brushed his cheek against the boy's before standing up, then waited for Pepper to do the same.

"Come on, momma," Tony said, taking her hand. "Karen will let us know if he needs anything. We can get our work done and spend the afternoon with him."

OOOOOOO

Peter slept through the morning and was still asleep when the Wakandan jet made its appearance and landed at the Avenger compound, having arrived to pick up the king, his sister and their retinue. Shuri went out to the landing pad with the others after lunch, but while Stark and the others were talking to the Wakandan pilots and T'Challa, Shuri told Pepper that she would like to go check on Peter – if she didn't mind.

"No, of course not," Pepper had told her with a smile.

"Do not be long," Okoye said, but to her credit, she didn't follow the princess, having decided that the Avenger compound was secure enough in the last few days that it was safe for the girl to wander the corridors alone. "We will be leaving, soon."

She waved to acknowledge the comment, and headed back for the door and a fast walk. Princesses didn't run, if they didn't have to. It was unseemly.

When she arrived at the main door to Peter's quarters, she hesitated at the entrance, peeking through the slightly cracked open door – in case he had woken and managed to get himself to the sofa in the living room. The place was empty, though, and she let herself quietly into the quarters and went to the bedroom. He was asleep, turned on his side and facing the bedroom door.

Shuri walked over and eased herself onto the edge of his bed, then leaned over and brushed her hand against his cheek – hesitating only long enough to see if the blue comforter that was covering him was going to move and slap her hand when she did so. It didn't move, but Peter opened his eyes at her touch, and looked up at her, sleepily.

"Hey…"

"Hello. I am sorry to wake you, but we are leaving soon, and I wanted to say goodbye before I left."

He nodded, and shifted, painfully, moving to sit up in the bed.

"No. I'm glad you did. When do you go?"

"The others are at the plane."

"So soon?"

He glanced at his watch, and she smiled.

"You slept all morning."

"Oh." He smiled. "It was nice meeting you."

"You, as well. You will keep in touch?"

"Yeah. Of course. You?"

"Yes."

She smiled when her communications device – a watch similar to the one Peter wore, but more of a row of beads rather than a timepiece – made a noise and alerted her.

"MY brother is telling me to hurry. I must go."

"Text me when you get home, so I know you made it safely."

"I will." She hesitated. "Is it too forward to hug you?"

"No." He let her gather him into her arms, biting back a grimace of pain at the motion and putting his arms around her. "This doesn't mean I have to marry you, though, right?" he asked, resting his head against her neck and holding her close for a moment.

Shuri grinned and let him go, but brushed a kiss against his cheek, somewhat shyly.

"No. You are safe with me, I promise. Tell Ned and MJ that I enjoyed meeting them."

"I will," he assured her. "If you're ever back here in time for another match, you can consider yourself invited."

Which made her smile.

"I will see you in Wakanda, Peter Parker."

"Definitely. Find me a zebra to watch."

She smiled again, and left without looking back, and he watched her go.

Fifteen minutes later, he felt the shudder against his window that usually meant that the Quinjet was taking off. This was slightly different, and he knew that it was the Wakandan airplane leaving. He eased himself back into the pillows a little more comfortably and closed his eyes. Shuri was an interesting person. He was glad to have gotten a chance to know her better and already couldn't wait to see her again.


	50. Chapter 50

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew Tony was sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning over and pressing a palm against his cheek. He opened his eyes and couldn't help but smile at the love that he saw in the eyes that were watching him as he woke.

"Hey…"

Stark smiled at the sleepy-eyed expression on Peter's face. It was much better than the pain-filled one, or the sad one. He loved it when Peter looked sleepy. Or happy. Or smug, really. Basically, _anything_ but sad and in pain.

"Hey. Are you going to sleep the whole day away?"

"No. Do you need me?"

"Always," Tony assured him. "Right _now_, though, we need you to wake up and eat some lunch, okay?"

"Yeah." Peter shifted and sat up, while Tony moved a little and let him see that Pepper was there, too, even though she'd been hanging back, a tray in her hands. "Here?"

"Still confined to bed," Tony reminded him with a smile.

Pepper took his place and set the tray over Peter's lap. It was a turkey and cheese sandwich and a bowl of some kind of noodle soup, a handful of carrot sticks and a piece of cake, heavy on the frosting just like Peter preferred. His stomach cramped, eagerly, and he smiled, too.

"Thanks, Pepper."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

She sat on the edge of his bed on that side, while Tony took a similar position on the other so they could watch him eat.

"Shuri and them left?"

"Yeah," Tony said. "About half an hour ago."

"She said you woke up," Pepper added.

Peter nodded.

"I was making sure I didn't dream it."

They both smiled at that.

"Eat," Tony told him. "Ned's coming tomorrow to visit – his mom wants to see you, too, to make sure you're on the mend. So we'll try to get you healthy looking enough to keep her from worrying, okay?"

"Yeah. He's not staying the night?"

"You're not really up to having a slumber party."

"True."

Peter ate his lunch, while Pepper and Tony watched for any signs of discomfort – or any indication that he wasn't going to hold the meal down. Which wasn't a big concern, but something that all the compound doctors as well as Stephen had warned them to watch for since it would be an indication that his insides were healing as well as his outsides appeared to be. He seemed fine, though, and Stark pulled the tray, leaving just the cake for Peter to finish.

Then he looked over at Pepper, and winked before turning his attention back to Peter.

"What are you doing June 21st?"

The boy frowned at the apparently random question – and date.

"I'm not sure. School will be out by then, so probably nothing. Why?"

"Pepper and I were thinking about getting married that day. I could use a best man. What do you think?"

Peter smiled, but then shook his head, looking somewhat apologetic.

"I can't be your best man, Tony."

"What? Why not?"

"I looked it up," Peter told him. "The best man has a _lot_ of responsibilities. Taking care of travel plans for the out of town groomsmen, making sure to keep track of the rings, helping you with getting ready and making sure everyone knows what they're doing. _I_ don't even know what they're supposed to be doing, how can I keep track of everyone else? Not to mention, the best man signs the marriage license, and I don't think I'm old enough to be an official witness. Besides, the best man throws the _bachelor party_ and I wouldn't know what to do to get that set up."

"None of that stuff matters, Peter," Tony told him. "We could get someone else to do all that. I want you standing there when we get married."

"You _have_ to be in the wedding, Peter," Pepper agreed. "We want you to be a part of it."

He nodded.

"I _want_ to be. Just not something so integral as best man."

"Well you can't be maid of honor," Tony said.

Pepper smiled.

"You _could_, if you wanted," she disagreed. "Did you have another role in mind, though?"

It was obvious that _Peter_ had been planning their wedding – or at least, had been looking into the various roles that were given to the members of the wedding party. He was right about the best man having a lot of responsibilities – _Pepper_ had looked them up, too – and she wasn't surprised that he didn't think that he was up to the task. Especially if it was all going to be taking place at the same time the end of the school year was. It was well and good – and not at all surprising – that Tony wanted him to have such a symbolic role in the wedding, but it was mature of Peter to realize that he'd be over his head, and he obviously wanted the wedding to be perfect.

The boy hesitated, his gaze turning to her – and for one absurd moment, she thought that maybe he _did_ want to be maid of honor.

"I was wondering if I could walk you down the aisle…?"

"Give me away, you mean?" she asked, feeling just a little gooey at the thought.

"Yeah. I mean, it's not a big role, I know, and if you have someone _older_ in mind, I understand. I just thought that-"

"I think it's a _wonderful_ idea, Peter," Pepper interrupted, leaning over and using her hand to hold his head still to kiss his cheek without toppling his lunch tray. "Thank you for thinking of me."

He looked at Tony, who was still looking a bit dumbfounded at the boy's refusal to be his best man. Clearly, he'd already had it all planned in his mind. Probably _several_ times, Pepper decided.

"Tony?"

"What? Oh. _Yeah_. I mean, _that's_ good, too. It has good symbolism, you walking her down the aisle and handing her off to me. We could make that work."

Peter knew him well enough to know that he was disappointed, though, and _he_ wasn't as good at hiding his emotions as Stark was. He looked down at his cake and set it aside, his expression a troubled mixture of guilt and remorse. He'd let him down, and he knew it.

"I'm sorry, Tony," he said, softly, not looking at him – or at Pepper.

The irony being that he didn't want to do a terrible job at being best man, ruin everything, and then have Tony disappointed in him.

Stark's expression softened and he sighed.

"Don't be _sorry_, Peter," he said, moving the cake over to the tray so it was out of the way and then settling himself beside the boy. "I didn't know there was so much involved with the job. I've never done it, either. If you don't think it's the role for you to play in the wedding, then I'm glad you were brave enough to tell me, rather than make yourself miserable later trying to live up to the expectations that would have been placed on you."

"You're not mad?"

Tony shook his head, and put his arms around Peter, carefully, to avoid hurting him, tucking his head under his chin and smiling softly over at Pepper, who was watching silently.

"No. It'd be ridiculous for me to be angry about that – and I'm not that petty, anymore. Besides, I can't think of a better choice to walk Pepper down the aisle than you. You _do_ still have to come to the bachelor party, though."

Peter nodded, his face against Tony's shirt.

"As long as it isn't on a school night."

"We'll make sure of it." He shifted enough to press a kiss against the boy's head and then moved back so he could tilt his head up to look at him so he would be able to see that he wasn't upset, and wasn't mad. And he wasn't. "Besides, I'll need a designated driver, most likely. I'm pretty sure _that_ isn't the best man's job."

"I can do that," Peter assured him.

"Good." He smiled, and tousled Peter's hair, affectionately. "Eat your cake. Then Pepper and I are going to challenge you to a game of Ultimate Scrabble."

Peter frowned.

"_Ultimate_ Scrabble?"

"Vowels only."

Peter wasn't the only one to make an amused noise, but he nodded and took his cake from Pepper.

"Whatever you say."

It wasn't going to be a long game.


	51. Chapter 51

_A/N: In reply to a few queries and a question in a review (thank you!) I'm working on the assumption that Pepper doesn't have any close family left, so no dad or mom to walk her down the aisle. _

OOOOOOO

The afternoon was spent quietly and as a family. They played Scrabble – not _Ultimate_, since that turned out to be an impossible fiasco – but a few games the regular way. Then, as they were finishing up the last one, they were interrupted by the arrival of Strange, who told them that he was just stopping in long enough to check on Peter on his way to visit with Natasha.

He asked the boy a few questions and then checked his vitals. They'd want to change the bandages that night or the next morning, he reminded all of them, but a quick peek under the uppermost set of them gave him an idea how the wounds were healing, and he assured Pepper and Tony that it was looking pretty clean, so far.

Before he left, he asked about the Wakandan visit, and how things had gone with them, knowing that Wong would be curious – and so was he, of course. Stark gave him a very broad overview of the past day, knowing that Stephen was already caught up to that point since he had been at the compound continuously to take care of Peter.

"He told Peter that he owed him for saving Shuri's life," Tony added with a slight smile. "And that back in the _day_, it was common for the reward to be marriage to the person that they saved."

Strange smiled, looking over at Peter, who grinned, slightly embarrassed.

"I assume they decided on some other reward?" the doctor asked. "I don't see an engagement ring, or a Wakandan guard on the door."

"T'Challa invited Tony and Pepper to go to Wakanda for their honeymoon," Peter replied, looking excited. "A whole _month_."

Strange raised an eyebrow, truly surprised.

"Really? That's unexpected. As isolated as Wong assures me that the country is, that is a serious concession – especially knowing who your alter-ego is."

"Yeah," Tony couldn't help but look as impressed as he actually was. "I have to admit, I'm looking forward to it."

"A month long honeymoon? Are you taking the 5th wheel?" the doctor asked, glancing at Peter with a cheerful wink.

"I thought we'd leave him with you and Wong for a couple of weeks after the wedding. Then you can send him over to join us for the rest of the time."

"If you're willing." Pepper added.

"Two weeks?" Strange tried to look reluctant, but he liked Peter too much to make it appear authentic. "I think we could manage. Once you set a date, let us know so we can make sure to clear the schedule."

"June 21st," Tony said.

"So soon?"

A wedding the size of the one they would most likely be having usually could take a full year just to _plan_. June was only four months away.

"Pepper's in a _hurry_," Stark said, shrugging. "She doesn't want to let all of _this_…" and he gestured to himself. "…get away."

Pepper smiled.

"You and Wong are both invited, of course."

"And we will _both_ be there," he assured her.

"_Peter_ has decided that he doesn't want the responsibility of organizing my bachelor party and would rather walk Pepper down the aisle," Tony added, seriously. "What do _you_ think, Stephen? Is that something you'd be willing to take on? Best man responsibilities, that is?"

Strange's smile didn't have any of his usual wry or sardonic humor in it. A little surprise, maybe, and lot of warmth.

"I'd be honored, Tony."

"Thank you."

The doctor cleared his throat, and then shrugged.

"I'd better get going before Natasha comes looking for me. We'll discuss logistics, later."

"Definitely."

Strange left, and Pepper smiled.

"He's a good choice."

"The _best_ choice," Peter agreed.

The boy had no doubt in his mind that someone as detailed minded as Strange was would be able to handle all of the responsibilities that he definitely didn't think he would be able to. Not to mention, _he_ was old enough to order alcohol for Tony's party.

"Yeah, behind Peter, he was my first pick. Steve has too much to do around here to put the burden on him, after all."

There was still plenty of time, so they weren't too worried about discussing wedding details just then. Instead, since it was a bit early for dinner, Tony suggested that they settle in with a movie, reminding Peter that Strange didn't want him moving around too much, and even board games required shifting and all kinds of little motions to move the pieces.

Peter didn't mind; he could literally watch movies all day, as long as it wasn't boring for the other two. Since they seemed willing, he just settled back against the pillows and handed Pepper the remote, telling her wordlessly that she got to choose what they watched. She and Tony took their usual places beside him, pressed close enough to be a comfort but not so close that they would restrict his movements entirely.

While she decided on the movie, Tony pulled Peter's blanket up over him, and then put his hand carefully on the boy's stomach. A moment later, Pepper's ended up resting there, as well. Stark took it in his own, his thumb caressing the fingers – especially the one bearing the engagement ring that she'd finally accepted from him. She looked over at him as she settled her head on the pile of pillows that Peter was using as well, and he smiled.

He was really coming to like being a family man. He just couldn't believe how long she had been willing to put up with him until it had finally happened.

OOOOOO

Strange was still smiling when he found Romanoff in the lounge. Rather than sitting at the table in the corner, she was relaxing on a sofa, reading a book with a glass of iced tea and a bowl of chips to snack on. Despite the distraction, he knew that she was ware of him as soon as he entered the room, and she set the book aside when he joined her, sitting beside her and taking her hand.

"You look smug," she noted.

"_Do_ I?"

"Yes. Any particular reason why?"

"Possibly because I was just asked to be Tony's best man – which if you had told me even a year ago that that would happen, I'd have run a million tests on your brain and still not believed the results."

Natasha smiled.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you. I expected him to ask _Peter_, but apparently he's going to give Pepper away, instead."

She nodded.

"Peter told me that he was hoping Tony wouldn't ask him. Best man is a big honor, of course, but all of that comes with a _lot_ of responsibilities – and far too many for a sixteen-year-old to handle."

"Like what? I just throw the bachelor party and give a toast, right?"

"Hah. No. You take care of all the groomsmen – in town and those traveling. You make sure to keep track of the rings. You make sure Tony is in the right places at the right times and keep him from running away if he gets cold feet. You are a witness on the marriage license. You have to be at all the rehearsal dinners. You handle payments to the band, the DJ, anyone else who isn't paid in advance of the wedding and if they don't use the limo, it's your responsibility to drive them to the reception. And, yes, you throw the bachelor party."

"What?"

Romanoff smiled.

"Peter and I looked it up a couple of weeks ago. Now you know why I said it was a lot for a boy to handle – even one as mature as he is."

He rolled his eyes, amused, but not at all daunted.

"Think it's too late for me change my mind?"

"Yes."

He shrugged.

"I can live with that."

"You'll do fine."

And she got to go shopping for another new dress. Always a win.

"Ned comes tomorrow?" Strange asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. After school."

"Are you going to debrief him like you did Shuri?"

Natasha nodded.

"We'd like to. He won't object – and that will give his mother a chance to check on Peter and satisfy herself that he's fine."

"Does Peter know those men are dead?"

"No. Tony says he still doesn't remember exactly what happened - especially once he was shot, and if things stay that way, we're not going to tell him, either. He doesn't need to know. One of the reasons we want to talk to Ned and MJ, both. To find out what they know – or what they _think_ they know. We got them all out of there pretty quick."

"And if he finds out?"

"Not from _me_, he won't. Or Steve or Clint. It'd hurt him to know, I think. He knows that there was magic involved, and that's it, so far."

"I won't tell him, either, then."


	52. Chapter 52

Peter made it through the entire movie without falling asleep. He dozed off once or twice – it was impossible not to with the two of them so perfectly positioned against him providing warmth and comfort – but only for a moment or so at a time. Then he'd wake at a sound from the movie; a laugh, a car door slamming, or even the sound of a doorbell one time, and he'd quietly make sure that they were both still with him as he turned his attention back to the TV.

When it was over, Tony took the remote and turned it off, and he and Pepper sat up, stretching and working out knots. Both of them still had their own aches and pains from the explosion – _Tony_ especially – and Peter thought that while he loved having them hovering – at least he did while he wasn't feeling good – it wasn't fair that they were confining themselves to his bed, when they would almost certainly be more comfortable in their own quarters or even in the lounge, where they could sit on actual chairs or a sofa.

He was trying to figure out a way to suggest that they might want to have dinner elsewhere – without them thinking that he didn't want their company, because he _did_ – when there was a tingle and as he looked over, a knock on his bedroom door.

Natasha was leaning against the door frame with Stephen beside her, and they moved into the room once they were noticed.

"Hey," Tony said by way of greeting. "What's up?"

Which was his way of asking Romanoff if everything was okay within the compound or if something needed his attention. She smiled to let him know that all was well, and stood at the foot of Peter's bed with Strange.

"We want to spend some time with Peter, so we're here to send you two of to find something else to do for a while."

Pepper frowned, but Peter smiled, realizing that they were going to force an issue that he wouldn't have been able to handle nearly as well.

"What?"

"You two are monopolizing Peter – which is _understandable_," Strange said. "But _I_ haven't had any quality time with the guy in more than a week and I'm due. I've just been too polite to say anything, and I don't want to have to wait for June. So you two should go have some dinner and then find something else to occupy yourselves and let Natasha and I spend a little time with him this evening."

"We like spending time with him…" Pepper said.

"So do we," Natasha replied with a smile.

"I'm going to need to change his bandages, anyway," the doctor reminded them, pointedly, gesturing for Peter to move to the edge of the bed to allow him better access. "So once I do, and you have my prognosis and I've assured you that he isn't going to fall over on us, you two are going to follow my official doctor's orders and go find some dinner for yourselves and then something to do quietly in your rooms."

"Just for the night," Romanoff added. "You can have him back first thing in the morning."

Tony looked at Peter, who was carefully shifting himself to the edge of the bed

"You're okay?"

"Yeah. It's just for a little while. You should probably stretch your legs for a while. Just because I'm stuck in bed, doesn't mean that you guys are, right?"

Neither looked entirely convinced, but Strange wasn't one to allow people to ignore him – or his instructions. When Peter was on the edge of the bed, the doctor moved to stand in front of him and a pair of medical scissors appeared in his hand. With a wink and a reminder to Peter to hold still, he cut through the bandages going from the waistband of the boy's sweats all the way to his armpits and pulled them carefully away.

Everyone leaned over to get a look and Strange rolled his eyes as the three heads blocked his light.

"Do you _mind_?"

Peter grinned as they all pulled back – a little – and looked down at himself, as well, getting his own first look at the damage done. Considering how badly he still hurt, he didn't think it looked too bad.

On his chest there was one main area that was obviously – even to him – where he'd been shot. That was closed with a small row of neatly placed stitches. Along his ribcage there were several bruises, that Strange probed with gentle fingers, eliciting a gasp when he touched a particularly sensitive spot.

"Sorry…" he looked at Tony and Pepper, and pointed along the boy's torso. "The bullet entered here, shattered on the ribs, there. Fragments traveled everywhere – that's why the bruising. They aren't from an impact, they're from subcutaneous bleeding, and should clear soon enough. The more dangerous damage was done down here." He gestured to Peter's stomach, where there was a mixture of several large bruises and a few stitched areas, as well. "The fragments down here either embedded into organs, intestine, or made their own exit wounds as they were ricocheted out."

"They look fairly clean," Natasha observed.

"Because I am an excellent surgeon," Stephen told her, winking at Pepper, who was looking pale at the sight of all the damage a single bullet could do. "I'll be the first to tell you that, of course."

"You _are_ an excellent surgeon," Tony agreed, seriously. "We're lucky to have you."

Peter smiled at the slight flush he saw darken Strange's face.

"How is he doing?" Pepper asked. "What do we worry about, most?"

"As long as he stays as still as we can keep him to make sure the stitches keeping his insides together _stay_ together, there's very little to worry about. He doesn't have a history of being susceptible to infections, so we keep the bandages dry and keep him in bed."

"To the bathroom and back only," Natasha told Peter with a smile, remembering where she had found him that morning.

He rolled his eyes, amused.

"Right," Strange agreed. A stack of smaller bandages appeared on the bed beside Peter, along with tape, and the doctor covered each individual set of stitches, first, before taking a roll of gauze and beginning to wrap the boy's torso from the bottom up. Peter lifted his arms to get them out of the way and rested a hand on Tony's shoulder. "We'll keep you propped upright as much as possible to avoid forcing your stomach muscles to do any work or flex, but you can lay as flat as you want to when you sleep. Pain pills if it hurts too much, but you're on your way to getting better."

"Okay."

The gauze was followed by several ACE bandages, which were then taped closed even though they each had a Velcro closure as well, and then the doctor looked at Tony and then Pepper.

"Questions?"

"He's going to be alright?" Pepper asked.

"He's going to be fine."

"Thank you."

Strange smiled.

"You're welcome. Tony? Take your shirt off, please. I'll check those ribs while I have you in my office – so to speak."

Stark didn't even bother to argue. Ignoring the sudden striptease music that was playing in Peter's bedroom, he carefully lifted his arms and pulled off his t-shirt. Pepper laughed, though.

"What was _that_?"

"Karen thinks it's funny," Peter told her, smiling. "She does it all the time. Ned hides in the bathroom to change when he's visiting."

Natasha snorted, indelicately. _She_ thought it was funny, too.

The mood was considerably lighter while they watched Strange run his fingers along Tony's chest and sides. He, too, carried a variety of bruises, but no open wounds. Those were primarily on his face and neck – and were closing and healing well.

"How do they feel?" Strange asked.

Tony shrugged.

"Not too bad. I know they're there, but they really only bother me when I've been still for a long time and then get up."

"Keep some ice packs handy, if you need to," the doctor advised. "That'll cut the pain."

He stepped back and Stark put his shirt back on.

"Thanks, Stephen."

"You're welcome. Pepper? Take him somewhere and feed him. Then, like I said, something quiet to occupy yourselves. Now would be a good time to read any books you've been wanting to catch up on, or play chess, something like that."

She hesitated, but then nodded, after a look over at Peter to make sure he didn't seem upset with the idea – which he didn't.

"I suppose we could share him – for a little while."

Peter smiled at that.

"Can't be hogging me all to yourselves," he said, making her smile.

"Come on, Pep," Tony told her, easing himself off the bed and reaching for her hand. "If they need us, they'll call."

The three of them watched as they left, and Strange turned to Peter.

"They needed some time away from you. Sitting with you is well and good, of course, but this way they can be with each other, and focus on them for a while."

"Yeah, I get it," Peter said, nodding. "I was trying to figure out how to suggest that they go do something for themselves instead of trying to entertain me when you guys showed up. Thanks."

Natasha pulled his blankets back, an obvious gesture that told him to get himself back to bed.

"That's our job, now," she told him.

"We can start with dinner," Strange added. "What do you want?"


	53. Chapter 53

"Okay, Ned, settle in a bit, will you?"

The boy nodded, wriggling just a little in the chair, and watching as Natasha and Steve sat across the table from him.

"How's Peter doing?" he asked, waiting for them to begin their questions.

"He's still pretty sore," Natasha answered. "But I know he's looking forward to seeing you and your mom. How was the drive up?"

"Mom drives slow." He rolled his eyes, good-naturedly. "She wants to be a good example for me, now that I have my license."

"Nothing wrong with that," Steve reminded him.

"It took 24 minutes longer to get here than it does when Pepper drives. _32_ minutes longer than when Tony drives."

"And when _you_ drive?"

"I plead the 5th."

Natasha smiled.

"Better not let your mother hear that, young man."

"I'm too smart for that," Ned assured her.

He was nicely relaxed, now, Natasha decided. Not that it was hard to do; Ned was very familiar with the compound and with _them_. He had no reason to be nervous about the debriefing and she knew that he was more excited than anything, even though his mother had told Tony that the boy had had a couple of nightmares that seemed to center around Peter bleeding to death in his arms. She nodded to Steve, telling him silently that he could run the debriefing. With Ned – or with anyone they knew – it always came down to the situation at the time and how everyone was feeling when they decided who would ask the questions.

"So, Ned," Steve said. "We wanted to get your version of what happened the night Peter was shot. You don't mind?"

"No. Of course not. I figured you would. Since mom's checking on Peter, I thought it would be the best time, right? That way she doesn't get more freaked out than she already is…"

"Yeah. She knows what we're doing – of course – we got her permission, but we wanted it to just be us in the room."

"It's okay. It was pretty scary, but I'm good, now, and I know you need to know all sides of the story."

"So what happened?"

"We were up on the top floor hanging out after the match. Peter brought Shuri and she was showing us how to do some dances from her country. I looked them up, you know? They don't like letting new people in. They're totally isolationists – like China was, or like-"

"Yeah. We found that out, too."

"_Shuri's_ pretty nice," Ned added. "When 10:15 came around, though, Peter and her started getting ready to leave. I asked him if he was going to come back but he said he was going to see what Tony and Pepper were doing and spend some time with them and that he'd see me at the hotel, later."

"Okay. So they left?"

"Yeah."

"Then what?"

"We felt some kind of muffled vibration – which I know now were the explosions, but we didn't know that at the time. The fire alarms started going off and we looked to see if there was a fire, but we didn't see anything. I tried calling Peter, and tried Tony, but no one answered. One of the Baylor kids had memorized the convention center specs and told us that if it was a fire, the elevators wouldn't work and that there were fire barriers in place so we wouldn't be able to get anywhere else. So we decided to wait and see what happened."

"Peter and Shuri didn't come back?" Steve asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. We waited a while, and then we heard the gunshot."

"You knew what it was when you heard it?"

Ned nodded, his expression just a little excited.

"Right away, yeah. One of the guys said it could have been an electrical discharge, but everyone knows what _that_ sounds like, and this wasn't it. No, it was a shot. I said I was going to go check it out, and MJ came with me. We headed down the hall and then we found Peter on the floor bleeding, with Shuri holding a little flimsy scarf against him and these three dudes sprawled nearby with guns all over the place."

"What did you do?"

"I took my sweatshirt off to stop the bleeding better than the scarf, and then Doctor Strange and Natasha showed up. I went back here with him, Peter and Shuri and MJ went with Natasha to get the other kids."

Romanoff nodded.

"That lines up pretty well with the other accounts that we've had. Thanks, Ned."

"You're welcome. Shuri and her brother left?"

"Yes. Yesterday."

Ned hesitated, then.

"How's _Peter_? Mom said Pepper told her that he was getting better, but he hasn't called me and I've been pretty worried."

Natasha smiled, giving him her best reassuring look.

"Your moms right; he's getting better. He's been doing a lot of sleeping, but Stephen and I hung out with him last night, and I can honestly tell you that he's much better than he has any right to be. We'd let you stay the night, except he's just not up to that much company, yet."

"Yeah, I can be a handful, I know."

"We're done here. Want to go see him?"

He nodded and said goodbye to Steve before leaving the small briefing room with Natasha, who idly put an arm around him.

"You did great, Ned," she told him, sincerely. "Your quick thinking probably saved Peter's life, you know."

"It's first aid that I learned at Boy Scouts when I was younger."

"And you still remembered what to do. Good job."

"Doctor Strange was awesome," Ned said. "Have you ever seen him working? He was all 'I need bandages', and 'we need to stop the bleeding, stat', and 'let's get him stable and operate'… your boyfriend's a badass, Natasha."

She laughed.

"Of _course_ he is, Ned. That why he's my _boyfriend_."

They were still smiling when they walked into Peter's quarters and through the living room into the bedroom. Ned's mother was sitting on the edge of the bed, encouraging Peter to eat another cinnamon roll from the small box of them she'd brought with her. Half were cinnamon and the other half were orange. Peter liked both and was reaching for another when he saw Ned and Natasha.

Ned gave an almost inaudible sigh of relief to see Peter upright. He was propped up by a lot of pillows, wearing one of the t-shirts that he and Ned had picked out at the local comic book store the last time they'd been. He looked paler than normal, and there was a lingering hurt in his expression, but you had to know him well to notice it.

Of course, Ned, Natasha and Ned's mom all knew him well enough to see it. Knowing that the boys should have a little time to themselves, Ned's mother asked Natasha if she'd take her to the lounge, which was where Pepper and Tony were waiting for her.

Romanoff understood – and agreed with – the request, and the two women excused themselves and left.

"Jesus, Peter," Ned said seating himself on the edge of the bed and reaching for a roll, too. "You look better than I thought you would, considering how bad you were bleeding when I saw you last."

Peter nodded.

"Yeah. I feel okay. I heard Dr. Strange made you donate blood?"

Ned grinned.

"I was the only one that he knew had your blood type. He had me hooked up to a bag right away – long before the nurses started going through everyone else's records to see who matched you."

"Thanks."

His friend shrugged, still smiling.

"Just returning the favor, I guess. How do you feel?"

"Still sore and tired, but a lot better."

"Have Pepper and Tony said anything about not letting you go to another match?"

"No. We didn't do anything wrong, Ned," Peter pointed out, still eating the cinnamon roll he'd been handed. "They did set a date for their wedding, though, so make sure you're not doing anything June 21st, okay?"

"Sweet! Is Mr. Stark going to have a bachelor party?"

"Probably. I'll make sure you get invited."

"Are you going to be best man?"

"He asked, but I reminded him of everything that I'd have to do, and asked if I could walk Pepper down the aisle, instead."

"You think I could be in the wedding party?" Ned asked. "How cool would _that_ be? Part of _Ironman's_ wedding?"

Peter shrugged.

"They could probably use a flower girl."

"Smart ass."


	54. Chapter 54

Ned didn't stay long. He wasn't allowed to. It didn't matter, though. He'd had a chance to see Peter and reassure himself that his friend was going to be okay. He'd take that knowledge back to school with him on Monday and make sure all their friends knew the same. Except MJ, who was going to be at the compound on Saturday for her own visit.

He told Peter that he'd see him later and that he was going to go look for his mom in the lounge and say goodbye to everyone. Peter told him to tell everyone at school not to worry about him, and then asked him how far behind he was getting.

"It's not too bad, yet," Ned assured him. "My mom only let me go back _Wednesday_, so I didn't have a chance to talk to the teachers about all of mine, either. Don't worry about it. I'll help. You know that."

"Thanks, Ned."

Peter watched him leave and then leaned back into the pillows once more, a bit tired from having so many visitors. Not that _two_ really counted as a lot, unless you were sore and tired all the time, already. Then it felt like a million.

He closed his eyes and must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he was aware of, someone was settling in beside him on the bed, reaching for the box of cinnamon rolls to move it out of the way and trying not to jar him with the motion. Peter opened his eyes, but he knew who it was before looking.

"Hey, Tony…"

"Hey." He had a roll in his hand, now, but brushed the boy's cheek with the free one. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," Peter told him, not raising his head from the pillows because he knew Tony didn't need him to do that.

"Did you eat any of these rolls?" Stark asked, taking a bite of the one he was holding.

Ned's mom was a great person, an amazing person. And man, that woman could _bake_.

"Two."

"The cinnamon ones? Or the orange?"

"One of each."

"Do you feel sick at all?"

"From the _cinnamon_?" Peter asked, always amused by the way Tony acted when it came to him and cinnamon.

Stark smiled, catching the amusement in Peter's sleepy tone.

"From all the _sugar_."

"Maybe a _little_," he admitted. "I'm not really hungry, right now..."

He was too tired to wait for dinner and the rolls had put something in his stomach, so he wasn't so hungry that he couldn't sleep.

Stark wiped his hands on his pants, and then leaned over the boy. _His_ boy.

"Go to sleep, then," he murmured in Peter's ear, his chin just avoiding brushing against the smooth jaw as he did. "Dinner can wait until later."

"Will you stay with me?" Peter asked, closing his eyes, already well on his way to doing what he was told. "Just for a while?"

"Yeah, Peter. You know I will."

He _did_, but he didn't want to assume. He knew he was monopolizing Tony – and Pepper – and he still wasn't used to it enough that he was comfortable being the center of their world. But he really loved the feeling, and their willingness to make sure he knew it.

As Tony lounged himself carefully next to him, Peter reached out and pressed a hand against his side. He didn't really _need_ full blown cuddling, he just wanted the support and reassurance that he wasn't alone, and that Tony was okay and was still with him.

Stark didn't mind; he could have spent all day in that position – and _would_, if not for Stephen or Pepper making him give Peter some time to himself, reminding him the boy was a teenager and was going to need some semblance of privacy sometimes. This just wasn't one of those times, really. Which was perfect, since he had plenty of time, just then, and could use a little _daddy and me_ time with the boy – even if he didn't dare call it that anywhere but in his mind.

"I told Ned about your wedding," he mumbled.

"Yeah?" Tony smiled at that reminder, and put his arm on the mountain of pillows behind the two of them so he could brush his fingers against Peter's hair. "Is he going to come to the bachelor party?"

"Yeah. He's looking forward to it"

"So am I," Tony admitted.

Peter sighed, then, as his mind switched topics with the usual randomness associated with teens.

"I'm going to be behind on homework – again. _Ned_ is."

"Don't worry about _that_, Peter," Stark said, firmly. "We'll get it taken care of when you're feeling better. Okay?"

"Yeah."

He would worry about it, later. Just not right then.

"MJ is coming to visit you, tomorrow," he reminded the boy, changing the subject himself, and waiting to see if sleepiness would overcome the automatic blush. It did _not_, and he smiled when the boy's neck turned a little red, and the blush advanced to the cheek that he could see. "That'll be fun."

Awkward, probably. But fun for – for him, anyway.

"Yeah." His eyes were still closed, but he smiled, slightly. "Too bad I can't take a shower. She's probably going to take one whiff and go hang out with Pepper, instead."

Tony leaned over, closer, and made an exaggerated sniff.

"You're not too bad," he assured him. "We'll figure it out. Take a nap, okay? _I'm_ going to."

"Where's Pepper?"

"She's talking to Romanoff about the wedding, I believe. Something about needing a maid of honor and needing to start looking for the perfect dress, that kind of thing."

Both of them smiled at the reminder of the wedding, and Peter rolled just a little, deciding that he _did_ want to be cuddled, after all, and bringing himself against Tony, who recognized what he was silently asking for and put an arm around the boy.

"Are you going to get married here?" Peter asked into his shirt.

"At the compound?"

"Yeah."

Tony rested his chin on the top of Peter's head.

"I don't know, son. If that's what she wants, that's what we'll do."

"Is it what _you_ want?"

He smiled, even though Peter couldn't see it.

"I want her to be _happy_," Stark told him. "If she wanted to get married at _Burger King_, then we would."

Peter was falling asleep, now, the vibrations of Tony's voice, the warmth of his embrace and even the steady, hypnotic beat of his heart were all taking their toll.

"It would make the reception pretty interesting…" he mumbled.

Which elicited another smile.

"Yeah. Don't get your hopes up, though. It's probably not going to happen."

To his surprise, Tony found that _he_ was falling asleep, too. With no reason to stay awake, and aware that if Pepper needed him she knew exactly where to find him, Tony allowed himself to relax, further, and drifted off, still holding Peter, who had already done the same.


	55. Chapter 55

It was well into the morning when Stephen Strange popped into the corridor outside of Peter's quarters. He had wanted to give them a chance to eat breakfast before joining them to check on Peter's progressed, and had spent the morning with Wong, poring over all of the traditional responsibilities that fell to a best man in a wedding party. He'd been a bit daunted to find that Natasha had been right.

No wonder Peter hadn't wanted to do it.

Strange didn't mind, though. He _liked_ details and was never one to back down to a challenge or a responsibility. You didn't become a brain surgeon if you were inclined to be lazy or sloppy, after all.

He looked over at Natasha's door when he arrived in the compound, but was aware that she was almost certainly up and out doing something Avenger related instead of sleeping in. Instead, he tapped lightly on Peter's door and let himself into the living quarters.

And stopped when he saw Pepper leaning against the open door to the bathroom, watching something that must have been amusing, since one hand was covering her face and her shoulders were shaking with silent mirth. The other had her phone out; she was either taking pictures, or a video. She was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, her hair back in a pony tail. Clearly, she wasn't going in to the city – at least not for work.

Pepper must have caught the motion he made out of the corner of her eye, because she looked over at him and welcomed him with a smile, gesturing with a movement of her head for him to join her, and then went back to what she was watching without waiting to see if he did. Which he was going to, of course. He walked over to the bathroom door and looked in.

And frowned.

Tony and Peter were standing in the middle of the Jacuzzi tub, which was empty of water. Stark was dressed in swim trunks and a t-shirt – both of which were soaked, and he was holding a handheld shower head that was on an extended hose which attached to the shower nearby. Peter, on the other hand, was wearing what looked like a large plastic garbage bag with a hole cut in the bottom to put his head through. Then it had apparently been sealed with a couple of strips of duct tape around the boy's neck to make it waterproof.

The thing was large enough that it covered his entire torso and hung to his knees – which were bare. His eyes were tightly closed and his hair and face were both white with soap.

"Keep them closed," Tony was saying to the boy when Strange looked in. "I don't want to get this in your eyes."

As Strange crossed his arms over his chest and watched, Stark turned on the showerhead, checking the water temperature against his free hand and then started rinsing the shampoo out of Peter's hair and then the soap from his face. The used water then rolled down the garbage bag to drain out in the tub – although a lot of it splattered against Tony as well. Which explained why he was dressed the way he was.

And why he was so wet.

"What are they _doing_?" Strange asked Pepper, quietly, unwilling to startle either of them and have them slip and take a fall in the tub.

Her eyes were bright with amusement.

"MJ is coming to visit today."

"_And_...?"

"And Peter mentioned to Tony last night that he wished he could shower, because he didn't want to stink. Nothing will make a boy want to be clean more than a girl."

"So, _this_ was their solution?"

"He's not getting his bandages _wet_," she pointed out. "You and Doctor Adams have both told us that we needed to keep them dry, so Tony came up with a workaround – a unique one, I suppose, but it seems to be working."

"It's inimitable," he agreed. "Why aren't you helping?"

"Because this is not a _mom_ thing," Pepper told him. "I'm dressed and intend to stay dry. Besides, _someone_ has to take the pictures – otherwise no one will ever believe me."

"_I_ wouldn't."

She smiled at that and they both watched as Tony turned the showerhead off once more, and held it between his knees while he picked up a bottle of conditioner and started rubbing some into Peter's hair. It was clear that he was having a good time, despite the fact that he was as wet as if he were the one getting the shower.

Which he sort of was.

"Has he eaten, yet?" Strange asked.

"No. You know how Tony is; he figured out what he wanted to do to get Peter clean and feeling better about himself and then talked Peter _into_ it, and then set it all up and here we are. We'll eat while they dry out."

The conditioner bottle joined the shampoo bottle and the bar of soap on a thick towel on the floor beside a bathmat, and Tony once more instructed Peter to keep his eyes closed before he started rinsing the conditioner, as well. He looked over at Pepper and saw Strange standing beside her and had to literally force himself to not spray the showerhead toward the doctor. Not that he was worried about getting Strange's impeccable suit wet, but because Pepper would have been a victim of friendly fire, and she probably would have scowled at him.

Instead, he smiled a greeting of his own and turned his attention back to what he was doing until he was sure he had Peter rinsed clear. Then he turned the showerhead off once more and hooked it over the towel rack between the shower and the tub.

"Hand me a towel, Stephen," Tony requested, pointing at a stack of towels on the back of the toilet.

Peter opened his eyes and glanced over toward the door, but before he could say anything, a towel had appeared in Stark's hands without the doctor moving, and Tony engulfed the boy's head with it, rubbing him thoroughly to get his face and hair dried. Then he dried _his_ hair and face, as well, before running the towel over his t-shirt, shorts and then bare legs to make sure he didn't drip.

Peter opened his eyes, again, his hair now standing in every direction, but definitely cleaner than it had been the last time Strange had seen him.

"You know, they make products that you can wash a person's hair right in their bed…" the doctor said.

"Where's the fun in that?" Stark asked, unnecessarily.

He told Peter to hold still, and Strange and Pepper watched as he carefully pulled the duct tape away from the boy's skin and then pulled the bag over Peter's head, revealing a bare, dry, torso still covered in bandages, a pair of shorts and wet legs.

Peter looked down at himself, and ran a hand through his still damp hair, looking pleased – but not nearly as pleased as Tony looked with himself.

"It worked."

Stark smiled.

"Try not so sound so surprised, Peter," he admonished, fondly. "I'm _Ironman_, for God's sake."

"Well, _Ironman_," Pepper said, speaking up. "Try to get him – and yourself – out of the tub without slipping and falling so we can have breakfast, please."

"Yes, dear."

It was clear that Peter was still sore, just by the way he winced as Tony got out of the tub, first, and then helped Peter out, making sure they were both on the bathmat to avoid slipping on the tiled floor.

"Hey, Doctor Strange," Peter greeted him, once he was on more solid ground and not concentrating on keeping his feet under him in a soapy, slippery, tub. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yes. That's one word for it. How are you feeling?"

"A lot cleaner."

"I meant, how is the pain?" he asked as he and Pepper flanked the boy and turned him toward his bedroom and his bed, freeing Tony to get out of his wet clothes and into a dry pair of jeans and a t-shirt that had been hidden protectively under the towels on the toilet. "Scale of one to ten."

"Seven?"

"Is that about right?" Pepper asked, anxiously, pulling the blankets back to make it easier for Peter to get back into his bed – which he did willingly.

"Better than expected," Strange assured her. "Anyone else would still be in the recovery room for a few more days. Peter heals faster than most, we already know that. As long as he doesn't do anything dumb and aggravates the wounds, he'll be more mobile in a couple of weeks. Maybe sooner. We'll see."

"Good." She gave the boy a pointed look. "Nothing dumb, okay?"

Peter's look was innocence incarnate. His eyes wide and guileless.

"Me?"

Pepper smiled, and handed him a comb.

"Yes, you."

God, she loved that boy. More every day, it seemed. Although he was definitely picking up some of Tony's eccentricities.

"Yes, ma'am."

Strange smiled at that, and turned when Tony joined them.

"His bandages are still dry, so I'm not going to bother changing them or checking the wounds. Feed him breakfast and keep him in bed today." He turned to Peter. "Get some sleep, alright?"

"Yeah. I will, thanks."

"When is MJ coming?"

Peter blushed, and Pepper wasn't the only one to smile.

"Happy went to get her to save her folks the drive. She'll be here some time before lunch."

Tony sat on the edge of the bed and borrowed Peter's comb, carefully putting his hair back into its pre-shower condition.

"She's the last of the briefings Steve wants from the night of the explosions," he added. "But that won't take long. Then she can have lunch with us and keep Peter company for a while."

The doctor smothered an amused smile at the boy's almost automatic blush, and nodded.

"Sounds like a good way to spend an afternoon."

Peter just nodded.


	56. Chapter 56

Despite trying very hard not to, Peter fell asleep not long after he finished his breakfast.

"He's worn down from his injuries," Stephen reminded Pepper and Tony, who had both watched him eat breakfast with them but had expected his anticipation of MJ's visit to keep him awake. Strange had warned them otherwise, making sure that they wouldn't be worried when it didn't happen. "His body needs sleep more than anything, right now. Even if it's simply short naps like this. Trust me."

They _did_, of course. It was just that when he was healthy, the boy was a bottle of energy wrapped in excitement, and just then he wasn't any of that and it was unnerving. Not to mention when he slept, he couldn't hide the fact that he hurt; it showed in his pinched expression, and the way that he would sometimes cuddle a pillow against his stomach or side and cling to it miserably.

"So we just let him sleep?" Pepper asked the two men. "He'll be disappointed if he misses MJ's visit."

"We won't let him sleep through that," Stark assured her. "Even better, she can surprise him, if he's still asleep when she gets here."

OOOOOOO

He woke slowly, reacting to an inner warning that was just enough to wake him, but not urgent enough that he needed to wake up in a hurry to save himself from an unseen or unknown assassin or something. Opening his eyes he frowned slightly when he realized that MJ was standing at the door to his bedroom, looking hesitant.

"Hey…"

She smiled, then, and walked into his room, looking him over as she did. Which made him glad that Tony had helped him get cleaned up that morning so he didn't look like such a slob – even if it hadn't been comfortable getting out of bed for so long.

"Hi. I wasn't sure if I should wake you."

He shrugged.

"I'm glad you did. Did you just get here?"

"About half an hour ago." She didn't have anywhere else to sit, so she sat on the edge of his bed. "Steve and Natasha asked me some questions about Saturday night, first, and then Mr. Stark told me I should come see if you were awake and keep you company for a while. So, here I am."

Peter forced himself upright with a wince and a pained noise, feeling a little groggy from sleeping and maybe a little off due to the pain medication that he'd been given earlier. He was pleased to see her, though.

"How long can you stay?"

"Through lunch, at least."

"Okay."

She looked him over, her expression uncertain.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay," he assured her. He reached down and lifted his t-shirt, showing her the bandages that were tightly wrapped along his stomach. "They have me all sewn up, now."

"It was really scary," MJ admitted. "There was so much blood, and you weren't moving, or saying anything, and Ned and Shuri were smeared…"

She'd just told Steve and Natasha what she'd seen and by doing so, she'd relived it. It had been frightening for her, and she'd been relieved when Pepper and Mr. Stark had suggested that she go see Peter once she was done talking to Steve and Natasha. It would give her a chance to make sure that he really was okay.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I'm just glad that you're alright. Does it hurt, much?"

"A little. Doctor Strange gave me some pills – they dull the pain, but they make me sleepy, sometimes."

"Sleeping is a good way to heal," she pointed out.

"Did he tell you that?"

"_Pepper_ did."

Peter nodded.

"If it is, then I should be out of bed and doing cartwheels by now," he told her. "I've been sleeping a lot."

"But you're okay?"

He nodded, quietly pleased that she seemed so worried about him – even though he figured it probably wasn't a good thing to be _happy_ about. It was just proof that she liked him, right?

"Yeah."

MJ hesitated, and then to Peter's surprise, she leaned over and kissed him. On the lips.

It was quick and she pulled back, immediately, watching him, and waiting for his reaction. Peter felt his face warm up and was certain he was blushing.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"I wanted to see if it would make you smile," she replied. "It didn't."

But it had made him blush, she noticed, amused. Maybe that was as good as a smile. It certain amused _her_.

He shook his head.

"You surprised me, is all," Peter told her. His expression suddenly hopeful. "Um… try again?"

That made _her_ smile.

"You won't mind?"

"Oh. Uh.. Yeah. No. Not at all."

She leaned over and kissed him, again. Her lips lingered on his for just a moment, and then she pulled back, bumping his nose with hers as she did, and eliciting a smile from both of them when it happened.

"It worked that time."

He nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks."

Feeling ridiculous for thanking her when he was fairly certain that wasn't the correct response, Peter watched her, wishing that his face would cool off a little. If he was as _red_ as he was _warm_, he probably looked like he was sunburned.

"Sure." She was a little red, too, he noticed. Although her complexion hid it better than his did. "How was it?"

"Oh. Uh, nice. _Good_?"

He wasn't sure what exactly the best response for _that_ was, either, truth be told.

"Better than Natasha last Friday?"

"No."

"What?"

The sudden change in her expression told him immediately that he'd said the wrong thing, and he hesitated, uncertainly.

"I mean… because Natasha's had more, you know, practice. Not on _me_. Just… well, she's _older_, right? And better at-"

"Shut up, Peter."

"Okay."

She was annoyed, but he was relieved that she didn't storm off in a huff. He silently blamed the medication for dulling his mind and allowing him to say what he had, instead of something smooth and sophisticated like Tony would – or like Dr. Strange would.

Before either of them could say anything, Strange appeared at the bedroom door with Pepper and Tony.

"You're awake, good," the doctor said. "Awake long?"

"Long enough," MJ said, still annoyed, although her intrinsic sense of humor was beginning to see the amusing side of things.

Strange didn't ask what she meant. He was beyond trying to understand 16-year-old girls – and luckily, he didn't _have_ one, and wasn't sixteen himself and dating one, so he didn't _need_ to.

"I'm going to double-check the bandages before I leave."

"Why don't you and I go find lunch and bring it back while Stephen makes sure Peter's not going to have pieces falling out of him while we eat?" Pepper suggested, looking at MJ.

"Sure."

"We'll be back in a bit," Pepper told Tony, figuring – correctly – that Peter would have blushed his way through the entire exam and clammed up if the girl was in the room.

"Bring _coffee_," Tony requested.

They watched as the females left, and Strange gestured for Peter to get himself to the edge of the bed so he could pull his shirt off.

"Why does MJ look so annoyed?" the doctor asked, curiously.

"She's mad, I think."

"At you?" Tony asked.

Peter shrugged.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"She kissed me," he admitted.

Both men looked surprised. The boy blushed.

"_And_…?" Stark prompted. "That shouldn't be a reason to be annoyed."

Unless he'd reacted inappropriately and had groped her, or something.

"And then asked if it was better than Natasha's kiss last Friday."

"Tell me you said yes," Strange said.

"No." Both men gave identical snorts of amusement, and Peter scowled, self-consciously. "It _wasn't_. She bumped my nose the second try, and she-"

"Peter," Strange interrupted. "If a woman – or a _girl_ – ever asks you any question that requires a comparison to another woman – or a girl – it's a trap."

"What?"

"He's right," Tony assured the boy. "Just trust us on this one. Next time, tell her yes."

The boy nodded.

"I figured that out right away."

He was inexperienced, but he wasn't dumb.


	57. Chapter 57

_A/N: I'm doing as well as can be, thank you all for the concerned messages. Wednesday I should get my stitches out and that will mean I can get out of bed and be a little more mobile. I won't be back to work for at least a few months, probably, so plenty of time to write my little AU! But things might be a little erratic for a while with physical therapy and occupational therapy and the like so don't panic if there is one chapter one day and three the next._

OOOOO

"So, what do you think?"

Steve shrugged, looking at Clint and Natasha.

"I like interviewing smart kids," he replied. "They have such organized mind and great memories."

"It'll be interesting to find out what _Peter_ remembers."

"Or what he _knows_," Clint added, looking a little concerned.

"About Gerard and the other two?" Natasha asked.

"Right. Does _he_ know they're dead?" Barton asked.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I didn't get any indication in Ned's interview or in MJ's that _they_ know – although I'm pretty sure that Shuri knew – because T'Challa probably told her, if she didn't recognize it for what it was when it happened."

"She's very observant," Steve agreed.

"Yes, she is. It's possible that we won't get much from Peter," Romanoff said. "Stephen told me and Tony that it isn't uncommon to have some form of amnesia when something traumatic happens. Getting shot would qualify, and we haven't really had a chance to talk about it with him."

"I'm in no hurry to question him," Steve told them. "Let him get as distanced from it as he can. It'll be easier for him, that way."

"Stephen should be present for it," Natasha added. "Since magic was involved. If Peter can describe the spell, we might be able to discern if the Mind stone used one of Stephen's memories or if it took one from Wong."

"As long as Peter doesn't mind, I'm fine with that," Steve agreed.

"Talk to Tony about it," Natasha suggested. "We can wait until Peter's out of bed, or catch him in between pain pills when he's a little more lucid, if they prefer."

"I'll bring it up, next time I see him."

"He'll probably be looking for you guys, anyway," she added with a smile. "He's going to need groomsmen for the wedding."

Both men smiled at that.

OOOOOOO

Peter decided that MJ looked like she was in a much better mood when she returned with Pepper. The two were chatting amicably about the wedding and Pepper was pushing a cart that was loaded with their lunch, as well as a pot of coffee.

"Stephen left?" She asked when they walked into the bedroom.

She only saw Peter and Tony. Both of them were sitting on his bed, playing WAR. Pepper noticed – without surprise – that Peter was losing.

"Yes, he had a couple of projects that he was working on and wanted to get work done," Tony told her. "He might be back in time for dinner – depends on Natasha."

"How did the bandages look?"

"Fine. Just making sure that nothing happened to them since this morning – which nothing _did_, of course. What were you two talking about?" he asked as he gestured for them to take places on the bed. He and Peter put the cards up, and he started serving the meal that they'd brought. "He said the stitches can come out in a week or so if they keep looking clean. Which they _will_."

They would make sure of that, of course.

It was a simple meal; all of the ingredients needed to make the regular salads in each bowl passed out into chef salads – depending on the tastes of the individual. Chopped ham, turkey, tuna, shredded cheeses, olives, onions and the works. Rounded out with fresh bread rolls and coffee for Stark and Pepper. Tony went to the fridge and pulled a couple of sodas for the teens, and MJ settled on the foot of Peter's bed, watching as Pepper and Tony flanked him, almost automatically.

"MJ has agreed to be one of my bridesmaids for the wedding," Pepper said with a smile. "That will offset Ned's youth, and will give both of them a chance to dress up, again."

"I haven't _asked_ Ned, yet," Stark pointed out. "He might say no."

"He _won't_," Peter assured them, pouring dressing on his salad and biting into a roll, hungrily. "He's looking forward to it."

"So am I," MJ admitted. "It's going to be amazing."

"we have a while, still," Pepper said, also beginning to eat. "And a lot of planning to do."

"Once you know where you're going to have it, everything else should fall into place," MJ said. "Just let me know if there's anything I can help with."

"You've done this before?" Tony asked.

She nodded.

"For my sister's wedding."

"Then you're a step ahead of the three of us," Pepper told her.

They talked about the wedding a bit while they ate, and also discussed the match that had been won on the weekend before. They purposely avoided discussing what had happened _afterward_, but did ask about the next few matches that were coming up and how she'd gotten the individuals on the team ready for the last one – and how she planned to get them ready for the next, and listened with genuine interest as she told them.

MJ thoroughly enjoyed the company and the conversation. She was a lot more relaxed and a lot less annoyed looking by the time they were finished eating.

"Tony and I are going to take the dishes back to the commissary," Pepper told them, checking Peter surreptitiously to see if he looked like he was going to fall asleep, now that he'd eaten. He looked more or less alert. Enough to keep the girl company for a while, at any rate. "We'll be back in a little while."

They gathered up the plates, bowls and all the rest and MJ helped load the cart. Then she went to the fridge when Stark and Pepper were gone, and opened it, idly.

"I'm sorry about before," Peter told her, sincerely, resting his head, tiredly, on his pillows and watching her.

She nodded, and shrugged.

"It's alright. Pepper reminded me that you're on pain medication and probably weren't all there, just then."

"You _told_ her?"

"Yeah. She asked why I was so annoyed, and I didn't see any reason not to. Besides, I certainly wasn't going to tell _my_ mom."

"Why not_?"_

"Because she'd tell my _dad_ and then they'd want to have the _talk_ – again."

Peter smiled at that.

"Yeah. Tony pulled me aside one day for that. It was embarrassing."

"Did they date the food in your fridge to keep you from getting sick, again?" she asked, curiously.

"I think so."

"Smart. But I doubt you'd make the same mistake, _twice_, right?" she closed the door to the fridge and went over and sat on his bed. "You're smart enough to learn from your blunders…"

He blushed, thinking that there was probably more than one meaning to that, but he nodded.

"Yeah. It won't happen again."

"Good." She reached for his hand, just a little awkwardly, her expression serious. "Don't ever scare me like that _again_, Peter."

He knew she meant the whole getting shot thing – which had to have been a lot scarier for her than it had been for him.

"I'm sorry."

It wasn't a promise not to do it, again, but she didn't press. They sat in silence for a while, still fairly awkward with the other's hand in theirs, and MJ looked around the room. Peter thought she was trying to decide what to say, next.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, wondering if she wanted her hand back, and just didn't know how to say it without making things more awkward.

She looked back at him, her expression uncertain.

"Can I ask you something? And promise you won't freak out?"

"Sure."

"Does Mr. Stark know you're the Spider-man?"


	58. Chapter 58

Peter stared at her, his mind and body both frozen in shock.

It wasn't anything that he'd been expecting – obviously. He felt suddenly lightheaded and was certain that he'd paled, because her expression went from uncertain to very worried.

"You said you wouldn't freak out," she reminded him, still holding his hand.

"Yeah…" he tried to talk around a mouth suddenly gone dry. "No. I, uh… what-what makes you think that… that you know, that I'm uh, you know… _Who_? The Spiderman? It's… I mean, _that's_ just-"

"Peter." Her tone was sardonic, although her expression was still a little panicked, perhaps second guessing her decision to bring the subject up with him still so off-balance and recovering. "I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were… I just-"

"What are the odds that Spiderman shows up in DC at just the same time that we get there? And has never been reported being seen there, again?"

"Oh," he took his hand back, sitting up and not even feeling the sharp pains in his stomach at the motion. "I mean… _lots_ of people go to DC…"

"I spoke to you, then. _Remember_? You didn't even try to hide your voice, at first – and when you _did_, it wasn't very well done. I even caught your accent."

"Anyone could have an accent."

"Yeah. And when you got sick, suddenly no one hears from – or even _sees_ him again until _you're_ well, again? Same with when you lost May. He's suddenly gone for a month. The same as you. The first time might have been a coincidence, but it all fits. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to put it together. I just was wondering if Mr. Stark knew, and how you were keeping it from him, if he doesn't."

He didn't say anything. He didn't know what _to_ say. He was a terrible liar, and didn't like to lie, anyway, but it wasn't something that he could disclose to her, either. Confused, he put his head in his hands and wished that he could vanish.

And suddenly felt a small rock between his hand and his cheek and a cheerful question in his mind.

_Where?_

Peter gasped, his hand closing over the teleportation stone and his heart suddenly racing as he put his hands to his sides to hide the stone.

"Nowhere!" he whispered to it, and realized he'd said it aloud.

MJ frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said, quickly, suddenly feeling a mixture of fear, nausea and doom. "I don't know what-"

"Look, Peter," she said, taking his hand, her expression a little worried, still, but her voice trying to be calm. "I'm not going to _tell_ anyone, okay? Don't look so afraid. It's not like I caught you robbing convenience stores or doing drugs, alright?"

He nodded, but he still felt sick, and he wouldn't look at her.

"Yeah."

"Okay." She scooted closer and put her arms around him, he looked _that_ afraid and she didn't mean for him to be. Peter buried his face against her neck, shivering in reaction – and _not_ the reaction from being held by her. "It's okay," she murmured, again, running her hand along his back.

It took a long time for him to stop shaking, though.

"_Does_ Mr. Stark know?" she asked him, again, still holding him and wondering if he'd fallen asleep, he was that still.

"Yes."

Which was his admission that she was right. He couldn't have denied it. Not _believably_, anyway. His reaction had been too pure, and she was far too smart and intuitive.

"Do the other Avengers?"

"Most of them."

She pulled away, brushing a less awkward kiss against his cheek when she did.

"I won't tell anyone," she promised.

"Okay."

MJ frowned. His face was still pale and scared.

"I _mean_ it."

"I know. I just…"

"You've been hiding it so long that it's scary to let someone know."

"Yeah. You can't tell _anyone_, MJ," he told her, seriously. "Not only because it's a secret, but because if people knew who I was, then they could hurt people I care about to get to me – to get even with me, or to hold them for ransom, or something. That includes _you_, you know…"

She hadn't thought about that, but admitted that it made sense.

"I won't tell anyone, Peter. I promise. Not even Ned."

"Ned knows."

"Oh."

"But no one else from school does…"

"Okay." She took his hand – the one not holding the teleportation stone. "They won't find out from me."

"Thanks."

"Is it technology, then?" she asked. "How you move things so heavy and fly?"

"Some of it, yeah."

"No wonder Mr. Stark knows."

He nodded, even though that wasn't completely accurate. Before he could say anything, though, Peter's watch chirped a warning to him that drew their attention.

"That's Tony," Peter told her, setting the teleportation stone beside his hip under the blankets before reaching for the button. "Hey, Tony."

"_Peter, wrap things up, buddy. Happy and Pepper are heading to the garage to take MJ home."_

"Okay."

There was a hesitation.

"_Are you alright?"_

Obviously he'd heard something in Peter's voice – even though he'd only said three words, total. Or maybe he was just getting the intuition that came with being a dad.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"_MJ can find the garage on her own?"_

The girl nodded, smiling. She knew the compound fairly well, by then.

"Yeah. She'll be right there."

The communications went silent, and MJ smiled, still a little worried since he clearly wasn't over the shock.

Don't look so worried," she told him. "I've known this long and nothing bad has happened. It's not going to happen, now."

He nodded, but didn't say anything, and she kissed him – this time their noses didn't bump.

"I'll call you, later, okay?"

Peter nodded.

"Yeah. Okay." He managed to squeeze her hand before she let him go. "Thanks for coming to visit me."

"Anytime. I'll see if I can come out again next weekend – if you're feeling better."

She left and Peter leaned back into his pillows once more, reaching for the teleportation stone and setting it on the stand by his bed.

"Karen? Can you ask Friday to tell Tony I need him, please?"

"_Of course."_

He reached over and took hold of one of the pillows and held it against him, closing his eyes and feeling as if someone had pulled not just a rug out from under his feet, but the ground under the rug, as well. She'd kissed him – which was _something_ – but had known his secret. How was he going to tell Tony? Or _Natasha_? He was supposed to be anonymous and he obviously wasn't doing it right. Would they be angry? Annoyed? Would he get grounded?

His stomach clenched, and hurt so bad that he really was concerned he might throw up.

"Hey." Peter opened his eyes, surprised to hear Tony's voice so soon. Stark looked concerned and was sitting on his bed – which made Peter decide that he must have drifted off for a bit, since he knew there was no way he wouldn't have felt him come in, and probably no way he could have gotten there so quickly. Stark's expression was concerned, and his hand was on Peter's forehead, immediately. "What's up? You look awful."

"I _feel_ awful," he agreed.

"What's wrong?"

"MJ knows I'm _Spiderman_, Tony."

"What? How? Did you tell her?"

"No. Neither did _Ned_ – she didn't even know that he knew. She says she figured it out because she saw me in DC, and heard my voice. And then when I got sick and was here, and no one saw Spiderman the whole time until I got better. And then when… when I lost May… and was gone, again…"

He trailed off, uncertainly, wondering what kind of reaction Tony would have. He couldn't really read his expression – mainly because his insides were so scrambled that he was having trouble focusing on anything, just then.

The hand on his forehead went to his cheek.

"She's pretty smart," Stark pointed out. "And she knows you well enough to recognize your voice that close up. We shouldn't _really_ be surprised, right?"

"I'm scared," Peter whispered.

"Is she going to tell anyone?"

"She said she wasn't."

"Then why are you afraid?"

"What if something happens to her because of me?"

She'd kissed him, after all. That probably meant they were in some kind of relationship.

"It hasn't happened, yet, Peter," Stark pointed out. "And if she's known since she saw you in DC, then it's not _going_ to happen. Relax, okay? You have enough on your plate that we don't need you making up more things to worry about."

"You're not mad?"

"Because your friends are intelligent?" he asked, shaking his head. "No, son. I'm not mad. Not at you. Not at her. It was inevitable, really."

"I was worried you would be."

"I can tell." Tony smiled, running his hand through Peter's hair. "Did she kiss you, again?" he asked, changing the subject and smiling when the boy's pale face suddenly reddened, again, in a slow blush.

"Yeah."

"Do we need to have the talk, again?"

Peter shook his head.

"No."

"Are you _sure_? Because I'm not going to want to have to do a baby shower and a wedding shower the same week…"

Now the boy was blushing so hard that he was surprised steam wasn't coming out of his ears. It was still better than the scared expression, earlier.

"I won't do anything like that."

"Good. Because if you do, you're going to be the one that has to tell Pepper."

He leaned over and pressed his jaw against Peter's cheek, gently. Lovingly. And knowing full well how important the gesture was to the boy. Sure enough, the hand came up, automatically, holding him still for a long moment.

"I love you, Tony."

"I love you, too. Why don't you take a nap? Things will look better once you've had a chance to get over the surprise."

"Are you staying?"

"Of course."


	59. Chapter 59

Pepper was curled up beside Peter on his bed when he woke, next. Wearing jeans and a polo, with her shoes off and her tablet in her hand, she was close enough that she was touching him, but not close enough that it could, technically, be called cuddling.

Peter didn't care what it was called.

He moved, shifting just a little to look around, sleepily, without moving _too_ much, and it was enough to draw her attention. She set her tablet aside and brushed her fingers through his hair.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hey, Pepper."

"How do you feel?"

"Sore. Tired."

She smiled, gently, down at him.

"Busy day, huh?"

He nodded.

"Did Tony tell you about MJ?"

"About her knowing your alter-ego? Yes."

"I didn't tell her."

"I know. She's an intelligent young woman. We probably should have expected it. I can't imagine why Tony didn't set your suit up with something to disguise you voice, though. Lesson learned, right?"

"Yeah."

He closed his eyes, but his hand came out from under the blankets and pressed lightly against her side. Peter was a bit more demanding when he was sleepy – or asleep – but he was never afraid to make sure they knew he wanted to be touched, or be supported, anyway.

"_She_ told me about the kiss," Pepper told him.

"_All_ of them?"

"Depends," she said, amused. "How many were there?"

He hesitated, thinking back, sleepy enough that he wasn't even blushing just yet.

"Three?"

"Pretty _serious_…" Pepper murmured.

Peter shook his head, and then pressed himself against her, burying his face into her side, wanting to be cuddled since she was there and certainly seemed willing. It amazed him that as much as _he_ loved to be held by them, either of them always seemed to be willing to oblige that by putting an arm around him when he needed it.

"I'm not old enough for it to be too serious," he pointed out, still sleepy and in no real hurry to wake up, since he couldn't get out of bed, anyway. "Tony will sometimes mention having the _talk_, but I think it's just because he likes to see me blush. She probably doesn't really even _like_ me like that."

Pepper stroked his hair, smiling to find herself with a teenager in her arms, actively seeking comfort from her. _Not_ something that she would have ever considered, before, but perfectly natural, now.

"And if she _did_?"

"She doesn't," he assured her. "It would be a bad idea."

"Why, sweetheart?"

"Because it would just make her a target. Someone could kidnap her to get money from me – or Tony and you. It'd be too dangerous."

"No more than me marrying Tony," Pepper reminded him. "I'm always a target, wouldn't you say?"

Peter nodded.

"But Tony's Ironman, _and_ an Avenger," he pointed out, waking up enough, now, to have an actual conversation. "It'd be crazy to buck those odds for a little money. _And_ you have Happy to watch you at the tower and the rest of us to watch you here."

Pepper smiled at the fact that he said _us_, and not them. Clearly, he considered himself one of them, despite the fact that the only times he was invited on a mission with the Avengers was when they were making mundane deliveries, or going to pick up parts, or people. It didn't matter, though. Not to him.

"True." She kissed the top of his head. "So, you're not too interested in dating, yet?" she asked him as nonchalantly as she could.

"No. I _am_," he told her. "I like the _idea_, at least. But it wouldn't work out very well. Not right now. I'm pretty busy, and since I can't drive in the city, I wouldn't really be able to go visit and spend much time with MJ – or any other girl, for that matter. It wouldn't be very fair."

"That's pretty mature of you to recognize that."

He shrugged.

"_Next_ year, though, I'll have the other license. Then it'll _be watch out girls_…"

That made her laugh.

"Tony had to take care of a few things with Nick – which is why he isn't here, right now. Are you hungry? Or do you want to wait and we can eat dinner with him?"

"I don't mind waiting."

"I'll let him know." She smoothed his hair down where she'd been running her fingers through it. "Do you need anything while I'm up?"

"Some water so I can have a pain pill, please?"

Pepper got out of his bed and pulled a bottle of water from his fridge rather than pour a glass from the bathroom sink.

"Does it hurt much?" she asked him, watching him hold his side while he sat upright in his bed to avoid spilling – or choking on the pill.

"Just a bit. I'm okay."

He downed the medication and most of the bottle of water, suddenly thirsty.

"I'll be back in a little while," Pepper told him. "If you need anything have Karen call."

"I will. Thanks, Pepper."

She slipped into her shoes and left him, but Peter didn't mind. He was already sleepy, and knew that the pain pill that he just took wouldn't allow him to stay awake unless there was something a lot more interesting going on around him to distract him. He leaned back into the pillows and closed his eyes, reaching for the black teddy bear and tucking it under the blankets against his belly.

Yeah, it was a _toy_ and if anyone at school saw him, he'd never live it down, but it was Natasha's and for some reason holding it made him feel better. Which, he knew, was the whole reason she'd left it in his bed in the first place. Peter closed his eyes and waited for the never-ending ache in his stomach to fade, but he fell asleep again long before it did.

OOOOO

Tony was in the lounge at the corner table talking to Nick when Pepper joined them.

Both men stood when she arrived at the table, and Stark pulled her chair out for her, almost automatically.

"How's he doing?"

"Probably asleep by now," she reported as they all sat down. "He said that he didn't mind waiting to eat, so he took a pain pill and was going to go back to sleep for a while. We can eat later."

"Is he still in a lot of pain?" Fury asked, curiously, gathering up the notes that he'd been writing while talking to Stark.

"He looked like he was," Pepper said. "But he said he was okay."

"Probably trying to keep you from worrying," Tony pointed out.

"I'm sure of it," she agreed. "He also told me that he's too busy to have a girlfriend, right now, and that he – and she – would be better off waiting until he was old enough to drive himself into the city alone."

Fury smiled.

"Watch out, Tony. When he turns eighteen, he's going to go right to the top of the most eligible bachelor list – if not sooner. You're going to have girls all over him."

Especially with the trust fund that he had, and being Stark's heir, now – but that was beside the point.

"I'm not worried," Tony said, smiling. "We've had the _talk_. I've already told him if he does anything dumb, he's the one that has to tell Pepper."

She arched an eyebrow at him.

"That never dissuaded _you_ from doing dumb things."

"True," he conceded with an amused shrug. "But Peter's smarter than I am."


	60. Chapter 60

"He kissed her?"

Strange smiled, slightly, and shook his head.

"_She_ kissed him, apparently. Could you see Peter making the first move, really?"

Wong shook his head, also amused.

"No. Not really. All I can see is him turning red and hiding under the covers."

The doctor nodded.

"Pretty much."

"Have you spoken, yet, with Pepper and Tony about him?"

The amused smile faded.

"No. Despite the sudden interest in the fairer sex, this isn't really the time for that discussion. He's still plenty young – and we might be wrong."

"You could find out."

"It'll wait. They're already stressed enough as it is by Peter's injuries – not to mention their own, lighter as they may be. Maybe after the wedding when things settle down a bit."

"Things never settle down with that boy in the area, you know what by now."

Strange smirked, agreeing.

"I _did_ tell you that you're invited to the wedding, right?"

"You did. I'm in."

"I'll make sure they know so you can get an invitation."

"I could always make my own if they forget."

"True. You'll come to the bachelor party?"

"Why not? We'll entertain ourselves watching the Avengers get drunk and sing karaoke."

"Good idea."

"You're heading back?"

"As soon as I finish my breakfast. There's no hurry, since Natasha had to fly back to Iceland. I'm just going to check on Peter and then I'll come back and we can start cross-referencing your research on this heart-shaped herb you found."

Wong scowled.

"The Wakandans certainly have an interesting juxtaposition of technology and tradition, don't they?"

"Yes. I'd like to know more about it, though."

Wong shrugged.

"Wait until Peter's better and see if the Mind stone will give him anything we don't already have."

"We'll see."

Strange knew Tony didn't really care for that connection the boy had to the infinity stone, and respected that Stark had – and _should_ have – the final say in what kind of dangers, even perceived ones, that Peter was exposed to. Wong, on the other hand, was fascinated by the connection, and being the scholar that he was, _he_ wanted to explore that relationship as far as they could. He wasn't completely against the understanding that Tony was Peter's father, now, and had the right to have some input, of course, and as such, he'd make the suggestion and let Strange decide what Stark's reaction would be.

Besides, they had the entire sanctum libraries at their command. The knowledge they wanted was there. Somewhere. It was just a matter of finding it, and time was something they both had in spades.

OOOOOO

"Friday? Anything from Karen?"

There was only a slight hesitation.

"_Peter is asleep."_

Tony watched with unabashed appreciation as Pepper pulled a blouse over her head and flipped her hair to keep it from getting stuck under the shirt. He had always admired just how beautiful she was, and he hadn't had to hide his interest in years, now. Before, she'd roll her eyes and mention HR. Now, she simply smiled when she caught him staring.

"Do we let him sleep in?" she asked with that knowing smile. "Or wake him up and see if he's interested in breakfast?"

"We wake him."

Stark wanted to check and see how the boy was doing, and he could only learn so much watching him sleep. They'd had a fairly quiet evening, the night before, and while Peter had been sleepy – almost certainly because of the medication he'd taken for pain – he had been fairly cheerful and had managed to eat enough dinner to keep either of them from being too worried.

When they were finished eating, they'd played cards – and as usual, Peter had lost resoundingly. He didn't mind, though – he was pretty used to it, and just as amused as they were about it. When they were gathering the scoresheets and cards at the end of their evening, Peter had pointed out that he was just going to be sleeping and that they would probably be more comfortable sleeping in their own bed, rather than keeping him company.

Both had hesitated, but each decided – separately – that he was probably feeling like he was imposing on them and wanted to give them some time for them, instead of time spent with him. With a reminder that he only needed to tell Karen he needed them, they had given in with little argument, and slept in their own quarters that night – although Tony had asked Friday for updates from Karen throughout the night, and had been told each time that the boy was asleep.

They finished dressing and left their quarters. It was Sunday, and usually that meant a light breakfast, since they would normally be eating brunch up the highway with whomever cared to join them. Today, though, they'd stay at the compound and keep their boy company – even if it just meant sitting in his bed with him while they watched movies or played video games.

OOOOOO

Peter _was_ asleep. On his side in his usual miserable ball, with the addition of Natasha's teddy bear tucked up against his stomach. They could see that when they walked into his bedroom, because sometime in the night, he'd thrown all his blankets to the side and also had pulled off his shirt and – although luckily for modesty's sake, he was still wearing the lounge pants that he'd fallen asleep in.

Tony frowned as he and Pepper moved over to the bed and he saw that Peter's face was flushed and sheened with sweat. A hand on his forehead and then his cheek woke him, but all he did was open his eyes, while Pepper reached for the blankets and gently spread them over him, again.

"Hey, Tony…"

Stark frowned.

"He's burning up," he said, softly, turning to Pepper, Good morning. How do you feel?"

"Hot. Tired."

"Yeah, you're pretty warm," stark agreed, running his hand along the upturned cheek once more, and along his neck. "Do you hurt?"

"Just my stomach. And my head. Maybe my chest, a little."

"Friday, call Stephen, will you?"

"_Doctor Strange has just arrived in the compound,"_ came the reply through Tony's communications.

"Where is-"

"Good morning," Strange's voice said, interrupting. "How's my favorite – and only – patient today?"

"Fevered," Stark replied, moving out of the way to give the doctor his spot on the bed. "And he says he hurts."

Strange lost his smile, immediately, and leaned over to run a hand along Peter's forehead.

"You're right, Tony; he's definitely warmer than he should be." Strange pulled back the blankets that Pepper had just replaced, and rolled Peter carefully onto his back. "Do you hurt, Peter?"

"Yeah, a bit…" he had closed his eyes, as if he was dizzy at being moved, but Strange wasn't worried about that. "My stomach hurts."

"On the inside?"

"A little, yes."

A pair of scissors appeared in Strange's hand and he cut the bandages that were protecting the wounds on the boy's stomach and chest. There wasn't any blood – which Tony had expected – but there was a fair-sized bruise along his abdomen where there hadn't been one the day before.

"Internal bleeding?" Tony asked.

He wasn't a doctor, of course, but everyone knew what made a bruise, and Peter had a mess of stitches inside him, holding him together. Where else would the bleeding be coming from.

"Yes," Strange agreed, running his fingers very gently along Peter's belly. "There's a bit of swelling. Peter? Did you fall at all, yesterday?"

"No. I barely got out of bed." He opened his eyes, then. "I sat up quickly a couple of times, though…"

"that explains it," the doctor said.

"What is it?" Pepper asked, concerned.

"He's ripped some of the internal stitches before they did their job."

"Is he going to be okay?" Stark asked, concerned.

"Of course he is," Strange told them, confidently. "But we need to get it taken care of before it becomes a problem. Call Doctor Adams in, will you?"


	61. Chapter 61

"Stop looking so anxious," Strange said, glancing over at Pepper and Tony as a couple of medics transferred Peter carefully from his bed to a gurney. "He's going to be fine."

Neither of them looked convinced. Of course, it didn't help that _Peter_ looked scared, too. It was one thing to be unconscious and brought home and operated on. It was another thing entirely to be awake and then hear that you were going to be taken from your bed to the medical room and once more operated on – just when you thought you were getting better.

The boy looked up at Strange as one of the medics covered him with a blanket to keep him warm, his eyes wide with a combination of fear and pain and then turned his head to look at Pepper and Tony, too.

"I'm okay," he assured them, automatically, not looking _or_ feeling okay, just then, but not wanting them to look as afraid as he felt. "Don't worry."

He reached a hand out to them, though, and Pepper was the one who took it, being just that much closer.

"You're going to be _fine_," she assured him, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "We'll be waiting for you when you're done."

"Okay."

Dr. Adams gestured for the medics to take the boy out of the room, and she followed the gurney through his living room and out into the corridor, with Pepper, Tony and Strange following more slowly behind them. Stark was holding the stuffed bear that Natasha had left for Peter – to keep him company when she wasn't able to be there.

"This happens frequently," Stephen assured them. "Which is why I was keeping a close eye on the area. Internal stitches aren't as sturdy as external ones are – for obvious reasons, since they're usually designed to dissolve after a certain amount of time."

"So, you're going to open him up and tie new ones?" Stark asked.

"No. I'll go in with a scope and do it. It'll cause far less damage, externally, and there is less chance to add to the possibility of infection, this way. We do it all the time, guys. We couldn't do it when we brought him in, because we had to find all the fragments, but this time I know exactly where I'm looking at. A small incision to put the scope in – somewhere to the side and away from the painful spots. An hour at the most. He won't even be in recovery any longer than it takes for him to wake up and clear his head."

He explained the procedure as they walked, and gave them both a reassuring smile before separating from them when they reached the small waiting room outside the recovery area. Tony took Pepper's hand and led her over to the small sofa, pulling her down to sit beside him.

"He's fine, momma," he told her, handing her the teddy bear and then gathering her up into his arms and cradling her. "You heard Stephen. This is common."

She rested her head on his chest, tucking it under his chin and closed her eyes.

"It's not common for us."

"I know, Pep." Stark kissed the top of her head. "But it'll be okay."

OOOOOO

Strange stopped in to see Peter as they were prepping him. The boy already had that slightly glazed expression that told the doctor he wasn't going to be awake much longer. He still looked scared, though, and was distracted enough that he probably hadn't even realized that he'd been stripped by the medics and was now just wearing a sheet and a warm blanket.

"Are Tony and Pepper okay?" he asked when Stephen reached down and touched his forehead and then palmed his cheek.

"They will be. So will you."

"Is Natasha here?"

"No. She's on her way to Iceland with the others. She'll be back by the time we're done and you're out of recovery."

"I'm sorry about the fuss."

Strange smiled, watching as he slowly lost the battle with the medications that were being administered through the new IV that had been put in his forearm. He brushed the boy's hair back from his sweaty forehead, affectionately, loving the boy more and more and not bothering to hide it, just then. He didn't need to, after all.

"Think you're sorry _now_? Wait until I give your dad my bill."

Peter smiled at that and drifted off – either amused at the joke about the bill, or simply the reference to Tony being his dad. It didn't matter to the doctor, either way. He was pleased that he hadn't fallen asleep still looking scared. He and Adams then left to get washed up, leaving the medics to get everything ready.

OOOOOOO

They had only been in the waiting room 45 minutes when the door opened. Surprised, because Stephen had told them it was going to be longer than that, Pepper and Tony both looked up. It wasn't the doctor, though. Natasha led the way into the room, looking concerned. Right behind her were Clint and Steve, looking equally worried.

"How is he?" Romanoff asked. "Have you heard anything?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in Iceland?" Stark responded, surprised to see them all.

"We turned around when we found out what was happening," Steve said, walking over and sitting on the other side of Tony. "They can wait until Monday – or Tuesday, even."

"How did you hear?" Tony asked, curiously. He hadn't told anyone, and he knew Pepper hadn't, either. "Stephen?"

"Nat had a feeling," Clint answered, also finding a place to sit – although the sofa was full, so he was stuck with a simple oversized chair. He gave an approving look toward the coffee pot, though, and poured a cup. "She called Strange and here we are."

"_Have_ you heard anything?" Natasha asked, again, leaning against the wall. She wasn't ready to settle into a chair, just yet.

They'd barely hit open water when she'd suddenly had the oddest feeling that Peter wasn't well, and that something was going on. It had started fairly low-key, but then she'd become more and ore certain that something was wrong. Certain enough for her to call Stephen, who had given her a succinct outline of what had happened and what he was going to do to repair the damage. He'd assured her that Peter was going to be fine and had had to end the call to go talk to everyone involved.

Romanoff had told the others, and Clint had changed their flight plan.

And here they were. Where they should be, at the moment.

"No," Pepper said, still wrapped in Tony's arms, but now turned so she could see everyone in the room. "Stephen said he'd let us know when he was done – and that it's very common and not to be too concerned."

Which didn't mean they wouldn't, of course.

"They put a couple of stitches in my oldest," Clint said, nodding. "When he had his appendix out. Healed just fine, but they mentioned that this kind of thing could happen and if it did, not to worry, it's an easy fix."

Tony nodded, but didn't say anything, even though he appreciated the comment.

"You don't mind if we wait with you?" Steve asked.

"Of course not."


	62. Chapter 62

It was another hour before they heard anything.

The door opened, drawing everyone's attention, and it was Strange himself who walked into the waiting room, still wearing a set of surgical scrubs. If he was surprised to find the others there with Tony and Pepper, it didn't show. Stark let go of Pepper and stood up, with her right behind him, and Steve and Clint both getting up as well. Natasha had never seated herself, choosing instead to simply stand – and sometimes pace.

"How is he, Stephen?" Pepper asked before anyone else could.

"He's fine," the doctor assured her. "It took longer than we expected – there was more tearing than I thought, and I wanted to make certain we took care of all of it, first try."

"Can we see him?" Tony asked, looking relieved.

"Not yet. Let them get him settled in recovery, first. I'll let you know when he's awake." He looked at Natasha. "I thought you'd be in Iceland by now."

"We wanted to be here."

Of course they did.

"I'd have called you."

She smiled.

"I know. It's an _Avenger_ thing. You wizards wouldn't understand."

Strange rolled his eyes, amused at the teasing, and glad that he'd had good news for her. For them.

"Well, you _Avengers_ will have to wait a while to see him. Parents only in the recovery room. Once he's awake and talking, we'll put him back in his quarters – but I think we'll keep him restricted to his bed for a couple of days – just to give my new stitches a chance to take hold."

"He'll be more comfortable in his own bed," Tony approved.

"My thoughts, exactly. But you guys have to keep him quiet until I say otherwise. No friends over to visit – especially Ned. I want him to be still for a few days."

"He won't like that," Clint pointed out, reminded of a previous time when Peter had been confined to his bed.

"Yes, I know. But he'll do what he's told, or he'll be back on my operating table." He smiled to soften the reprove. "I'll talk to him about it."

"Thanks, Stephen."

"The bill just keeps getting longer, Tony," the doctor said. "Keep it going, and Wong and I will be able to annex the Sanctum out here to our new compound and get a better view from the library windows."

Natasha wasn't the only one to smile at that.

"I'll keep that in mind," Stark replied.

"Go find something to do for the next hour or so. He should start waking up by then and I'll call you."

They started to protest, preferring to stay close by, but Natasha took Tony's arm and Steve took Pepper's.

"Let's go get something to eat," Romanoff said, pulling Tony away from the sofa before he could sit back down. She had already been working on the assumption that they'd been to Peter's room to have breakfast when they'd discovered he wasn't doing as well as they hoped. "I could hear your stomach growling from the other side of the room."

Stark hesitated, but she didn't allow him to argue, and Pepper didn't have a chance; Steve had one arm around her and his hand was holding hers as he led her out of the room.

"We'll go to the lounge," Rogers said. "Breakfast and a game of cards until you can come see for yourself that he's fine."

Strange watched them all leave and then went back to the recovery room to check on his patient.

OOOOOOO

Waking up from surgery was a lot like waking up from regular sleep. Peter knew; he'd done it before. He was a little confused when he opened his eyes, feeling groggy and a little out of sorts, to find that he was in a white room. A _medical room_ came the words in his mind before he was really awake enough to figure it out on his own.

He was mostly supine, but slightly turned a little onto his side and supported by some pillows. When he turned his head, just a bit, he felt a cool hand brush his forehead and then come to rest on his cheek, drawing his attention away from the stand that was supporting a clear bag of fluids that was attached to him by some fine tubing. Peter blinked, owlishly, at Dr. Strange, who was perched on the edge of the bed he was laying on.

"Awake, finally," the doctor said, softly. "Tony will be relieved."

"Is he okay?"

"Of course. As is Pepper. You'll see them soon enough. I want to make sure you're lucid before I let them come visit you, though. It'll make them worry less."

"Yeah. _Am_ I?"

That made Strange smile, and he moved his hand from Peter's cheek.

"Wiggle your fingers for me."

They both looked down at his hand as his fingers moved in response to the order.

"Like that?"

"Right. Do you hurt?"

Peter hesitated, taking stock of himself now that he was a little more awake.

"No. I don't feel anything."

"Numb?"

"Yeah."

"That will fade as the sedative wears off. If you start to hurt too much, make sure you let one of us know."

"What happened?"

Strange didn't seem surprised that he didn't remember – and he didn't look concerned, either.

"You managed to tear a few stitches. The ones inside your stomach. It caused some internal bleeding, which caused a bit of a fever, and some pain. We caught it before there could be any real complications."

"You cut me open, again?" Peter asked, looking down at himself, but all he saw were the same kind of bandages covering his torso from his chest to his belly.

"No, not this time. I used an endoscope and did all my snooping from a very small incision that I made, here," he said, pressing a finger lightly against Peter's side. "Two stitches to hold it closed, and they can come out the same time the rest of them do."

"Am I okay, then?"

Strange smiled.

"Not yet, but you _will_ be. We need you to be as still as possible for a while – to give your insides a chance to heal. This is going to mean you're stuck in bed, again, until further notice."

Peter frowned.

"_This_ bed?"

"That depends. If I leave you here, in one of the medical rooms, I'm fairly assured that you'll stay where you are, because you wouldn't have any other choice, really, and nothing to do to keep you from sleeping all day. If I have them put you in your bed, you'd have to give me your word that you'd stay there, and no sudden movements of any kind – to keep from tearing my stitches."

"I'd rather be in my bed."

He'd rather not be stuck in bed at all, but given the limited choices, there was no doubt what his preferences were.

"And you'll stay in bed without too much grumbling, or too many sour looks?"

"Yes."

"And no big, doleful brown eyes when you're bored and want to convince someone to let you get up? Including _me_."

"Sure."

Strange nodded.

"Good. We'll keep you here, until tomorrow – just to make sure that you're not going to have any reaction. Which I do not anticipate. Then I'll have you moved to your quarters in the morning."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Feel up to some company?"

"Yes."

"I think we can arrange that."


	63. Chapter 63

He didn't fall asleep when Strange left him, but he did drift a little, still groggy and not completely clear-headed. His eyes closed, Peter didn't see them enter his room, but he opened them when he felt the hand on his cheek and gave a tired smile when he saw both Pepper and Tony had pulled up chairs and were sitting right beside his bed, their faces level with his – enough so that he could see they both looked a little concerned, but mostly just relieved and somewhat tired.

"Hey…"

They both smiled, and Tony's hand on his cheek slide up to his forehead, pushing Peter's hair back.

"Hi. How do you feel?"

"I'm okay. Sleepy."

"Stephen told us that you would be," Pepper said, also reaching out to touch him. "We're going to leave alone so you can sleep."

"But we'll be here when you wake up," Tony added before he could worry that they were going to be gone, long.

Still numb – both physically and mentally – Peter simply nodded, not able to be worried that they were leaving him.

"Okay."

"We love you," Pepper reminded him.

That made him smile no matter how numb he was.

"I love you, too."

"Here's someone to keep you company," Tony added, pulling the boy's blankets back just a little and pressing the black teddy bear against his stomach, carefully.

When Peter automatically wrapped an arm around it, holding it, Stark covered him up again, tucking the blankets around him. Pepper leaned over and pressed a kiss against his cheek, and Peter closed his eyes with a tired, contented, sigh.

"Go to sleep, sweetheart," Pepper whispered, her hand finding Tony's.

They waited, watching him until he was asleep once more, and then quietly left the room, ending up in the corridor outside the recovery room where Strange was waiting for them.

"He's asleep?" the doctor asked without looking into the room to verify.

He assumed that if Peter were still awake, they'd still be in the room keeping him company.

"Yes."

"That's normal, right?" Pepper asked.

"Of course. He'll probably sleep the rest of the day, off and on. I'll have him moved out of recovery and into a different room so the others can check on him, as well. I know you two will want to hover, but remember, he's going to be in bed for days. Make sure you're taking care of yourselves, as well, so you can be there to keep him in check when he really starts getting restless."

"Meaning you don't want us to stay with him continuously?" Pepper asked with a slight smile.

She wasn't concerned. If Stephen was suggesting they don't stay close at hand, then Peter must be doing well enough that the doctor didn't find it necessary. Which was a relief.

"Right."

They didn't argue. If he'd said they couldn't be with him at all, then they would have – but they knew Strange wouldn't do that.

"Well. We've checked on him and we know he's doing as well as can be and doesn't need anything. Pepper and I will go find something to do out of the way."

"And the others are on their way to Iceland, again?"

"Yes. They'll be back this evening."

He probably knew that, since he'd almost certainly spoken to Natasha before she'd left.

"I'm going to stick around," Strange said. "If you're willing, I'll keep you company."

Pepper smiled.

"Sounds good."

OOOOOO

He was in a different room when he woke, next, but in the same bed and in the same position.

Peter opened his eyes, and instead of Tony or Pepper, it was Clint who was lounging in the chair beside his bed, the archer eating an apple a slice at a time as he pared it with a sharp knife. When the boy stirred, however, he sat up with a smile.

"Hey. Good morning."

Peter blinked, sleepily.

"It's morning?"

"Pretty close to it." Clint glanced at his watch. "It's 4 am."

"Oh."

"You've been out for a while," Barton told him, moving the knife to the same hand as the apple and then leaning over to brush his hand along the boy's forehead. "But Strange wasn't worried, so we weren't, either."

"Where is everyone?"

"Sleeping. I hope. Tony and Pepper were in – separately and together – to check on you a few times, and Natasha came by once or twice. I sent them all on their way so I could spend some quality time with you, alone."

"I was _sleeping_," Peter pointed out. "There couldn't have been _that_ much quality."

"It's all relative," Barton told him with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"A little sore. A lot tired."

"Sounds about right." Barton leaned back into his chair again and sliced a piece off the apple, offering it still on the knife to Peter, who took it and nibbled on it, uncertain how hungry he was, just then and not gobbling, just in case his stomach wasn't ready to hold down anything. "You're going to be moved to your rooms later on today, but you'll be confined to your bed for a while."

He seemed to remember having that conversation with someone, but wondered if he'd just dreamed it.

"It'll be better than here."

"Yeah." Barton nodded his agreement to that, looking around at the white walls, and the white bedding, and the TV that was on the wall across from them. The only source of entertainment the place had to offer. "Can only handle so much Sponge bob, right?"

"It was only that _one_ time, Clint," Peter told him with a self-deprecating grin. "And only for an essay…"

"Hey, you don't have to explain it to me. _Lila_ loves that show. I get it."

Peter rolled his eyes, but was too tired to banter for long. He dropped his head to the pillows, but didn't close his eyes.

"Can I have another piece of your apple?"

OOOOOO

Peter was still awake when Pepper and Tony stopped in to check on him, later. Stark was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, over a t-shirt. Pepper, on the other hand, was dressed in a business outfit, silently telling him that she was planning on going in to the tower that day.

Clint had left only half an hour before, telling Peter that he had some things to get done before he needed to start his day – and had told him to call if he needed anything.

"Hey," Tony said, smiling when he saw Peter's eyes were open – even though the boy was still, still somewhat on his side where he'd been positioned when he'd woken up. "Good morning."

"Hi," Peter smiled, genuinely pleased to see them both. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a log," Stark replied, leaning over and checking for fever before settling himself into the chair Clint had been sitting in.

"You were snoring like you were sawing an entire _forest_ of them," Pepper pointed out, also leaning over. She kissed Peter's temple and also checking for fever. "Good morning, sweetheart. How do you feel?"

"I'm okay. Are you going to the city?"

She nodded.

"I am. Unless you think you need me to stay with _you_, today?"

"No." He didn't want her to feel like she had to be tied to his bedside. "You're probably behind, now, because of everything."

Pepper smiled, sitting on the edge of his bed with a shrug.

"I am. But that's the good thing about being the boss and having assistants; they're there to keep me mostly caught up – and I am. I'm going to work, today, but Tony is going to be in the compound all day, if you need anything."

"Okay."

"Stephen's going to check on you in a little while," Stark added. "If you pass whatever tests he's going to put you through, he's going to have them move you to your own bed."

"That'd be good."

"But you're stuck in it, for a while, at least."

"Yeah." He shrugged, wryly. "Better the devil you know..."

"True," Pepper replied, kissing him again and standing up. "I'd better get moving; Happy is already in the garage, waiting, most likely."

She clearly was relieved to see Peter looking so much more alert than he had, before.

"I'm going to see her off, and then I'll come back and keep you company, okay?" Tony said, standing, as well.

"Yeah." He reached out and touched Pepper's hand, but didn't grab her and hold on – this time. "Have a good day."

"You, too, sweetheart," she told him. "If you need anything, make sure you call me. Even if it's just to tell me that Tony is annoying you, or something."

Peter smiled.

"I will."


	64. Chapter 64

It wasn't an official meeting.

It _did_, however, include Pepper, her three assistants and one of the other chairmen (in this case a woman about Pepper's age and as sharp as they came when it was anything regarding finances and the European markets). They were catching up on things that Pepper had missed the past week; decisions that had been made and some investments that she needed to know about – even though Pepper agreed with every decision she'd heard thus far.

They were discussing how to proceed with the latest investment when Pepper's phone buzzed from its position next to her laptop, and a quick glance told her she wanted to take the call.

"Hold on," she requested, looking over at the clock on the wall next to a picture taken by Stephen Strange during their camping trip "I need to take this."

"Do you want privacy?" one asked.

"No. You're fine." She answered the phone, realizing that it was a video call at the last moment, and smiled to see Peter suddenly looking at her, his head still on the pillow and his eyes a little tired. In the background, she could see enough to tell her that he was in his own bed, now. "Peter?"

The boy smiled, lifting his head, even though it seemed to take everything that he had in him to do so.

"_Hi, Pepper. Are you busy?"_

"No, sweetheart. Is everything alright?"

He nodded.

_"They checked me out and said I can be in my own bed, now. So, here I am. Tony brought me lunch – but it was just a thermos of soup."_

"Because he was told that's all you should have right now, or because he didn't want to carry a plate with it?"

Peter's smile was amused, and suddenly Tony's face was right beside his. He looked far more awake than the boy did.

_"Stephen said soup. We can try something a little more solid tonight."_

_"I wanted cake, Pepper…"_ Peter said. "_But they ganged up on me._"

_"We did not,"_ Tony told her, putting a hand over Peter's mouth, but was clearly being very careful not to touch him and maybe jar the new stitches. Obviously he was taking his assignment to keep Peter from being bored in his bed seriously. _"I promised him that he could have cake for dessert. He just assumed I meant lunch. Seriously; who has dessert at lunch time?"_

"_I do_," Pepper's assistant Jonathon said, automatically.

The others in the meeting all nodded, too, making Pepper smile. She wasn't at all annoyed by their inclusion in the conversation. It was their meeting the phone call was interrupting, after all.

"We'll wait for dinner," Pepper told Peter. "Just to make sure you don't eat too much, too soon."

He rolled his eyes at Tony's triumphant fist pump, but didn't argue.

_"Fine. Just the soup, then."_

"_Ha_!" Stark said, smugly.

_"There weren't any noodles in it, though…"_

Pepper frowned.

"Tony…"

_"It's tomato, Pepper. He didn't want there to be noodles."_

Peter smiled. Mission accomplished. Pepper rolled her eyes, too.

"Do you guys need anything else?"

Not that she wasn't thoroughly enjoying herself, but she was keeping the others from their work, and that wasn't fair to them. No matter how amusing the boys were.

_"Ned is collecting my homework,"_ Peter said. _"He said he'd drop it off there, after school. Do you mind getting it for me so I can start on it?"_

"No. I'll wait for him."

_"Thanks."_

"You're welcome."

_"I'm sorry I interrupted your meeting."_

"I'm not. I'll see in a few hours."

_"We love you,"_ Tony told her, sticking his head back into the camera view.

"I love you, too." The call ended, and Pepper shook her head, still smiling. "Where were we?"

OOOOOOO

"That went well," Tony said, pulling the blankets up over Peter once more.

"She doesn't look like she's too worried."

"Yeah. I knew she'd like a call from you. Thanks."

"It wasn't like I didn't want to talk to her, you know."

He nodded, and took the lunch tray from the bed and set it on the stand next to them.

"How do you feel? Think the soup's going to stay down?"

"I'm okay. It hurts a bit, but not enough to make me feel sick like earlier."

"Good." He brushed his hand along his cheek, checking for a fever that wasn't there. "Why don't you take a pain pill and try to get some sleep? Maybe you'll be more awake when Pepper gets home."

Peter nodded, aware that as much as he ached, it would make it harder for him to sleep.

"What are you going to do?"

Tony reached for the bottle of pills and a lass of water, easing Peter carefully upright enough to help him take some medication before letting him back down into his pillows.

"I'm going to keep you company until you fall asleep, and then I'll take the dishes back to the lounge and then work on the problem of keeping you from moving around too much and tearing your stitches again." He smiled. "It'll give me something to do until Pepper gets home, right?"

"Yeah." Peter closed his eyes, his hand absently reaching for Stark's side, which was closest to him. He didn't need to be help, but he wasn't above requiring some form of contact as he felt the pain in his stomach slowly start to recede and a now somewhat familiar lassitude come over him. He fought it, just a little, and opened his eyes, again. "Can I help?"

Tony shook his head, leaning over and brushing his hair back from his forehead, trying to soothe him into sleeping.

"Not right now. Go to sleep."

And he did.

OOOOOOO

He was waiting when she pulled into the garage, but he was alone. She knew he would be, of course, but Pepper was used to both of them meeting her most days, and the absence was keenly felt.

She smiled, though, when Tony opened the door to the car for her, and leaned in for a kiss.

"Welcome home, honey."

"Thank you."

He reached for her bag – and the backpack that he recognized as belonging to Ned.

"How was the drive?"

"Uneventful. How's Peter?"

"Sleeping last time I checked on him."

Which meant she could go change first, and then go spend some time with him. But she wasn't going to let him have the homework for a day or two, at least. They didn't want him stressing, which might hamper his recovery.

"Did you do anything interesting today?" she asked as they walked to their quarters.

"Oh, a little tinkering. Nothing much. Anything I need to know about?"

"Not until the next board meeting. I'll fill you in later."

They discussed her day as she changed into casual clothing and put her hair back into a ponytail, and then they discussed what they might have for dinner as they walked through the compound to Peter's quarters.

"Has he given you any trouble about being stuck in bed, yet?"

"No. It's early, still. He slept most of the day. The trick is going to be to keep him from making any sudden movements. Stephen says that's what will tear the stitches."

"Did he have any suggestions to prevent it? Or do we just assume Peter will remember not to?"

"He didn't have anything, but we came up with a solution – of sorts – in between his naps. No worries. I was thinking rice and chicken for dinner?"

Pepper nodded.

"That should stay down. Don't forget you owe him _cake_."

Tony just rolled his eyes at that, and opened the door to Peter's quarters and let her go in, first. He'd spent most of the day in and out of the boy's bedroom and knew Pepper would be anxious to check on him – despite trying to seem relaxed.

Peter was asleep. Still somewhat on his side, with blankets up to his chin to keep him warm, and a teddy bear shaped lump under them that was against where his stomach would be. Pepper carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch his cheek.

"How long has he been sleeping?" she asked, softly.

"A couple of hours."

Peter roused at the sound of her voice – or maybe at her touch – and opened his eyes, looking up at her without moving his head.

"Hi, Pepper…"

"Hi, sweetheart. How do you feel?"

"Okay. Did you have a good day?"

"Yes."

"Did you see Ned?"

"I did," she assured him. "We'll worry about that later, okay?"

"Okay."

He started to move, to sit up so that he could be more on eye level with her, or maybe just to prove that he was healthier than he looked, just then, but stopped with a soft grunt.

Pepper frowned.

"Are you alright?"

"He's fine, Pep," Tony assured her, reaching around her and pulling the blankets back up where they had started to slip. "No worries."

Peter nodded his agreement.

"Yeah. I'm good."

His hand came out from under the blankets, shifting them once more, and Pepper caught it, but hesitated when she saw a bit of gray where none belonged, and she turned the blanket down just a little.

"What…?"

There were several strips of duct tape running across Peter's bandages, starting under his armpits and down along his ribcage and vanishing under the boy's body. Pepper looked sharply over at Tony, who held up a hand.

"Now, don't get that look," he said, conciliatorily. "It's a _good_ idea. And it's on the bandages, so it won't be hard to take off…"

She looked down at Peter, who smiled sleepily up at her, but didn't say anything.

"Anthony Edward Stark…"

"Pep…"

"Tell me that you did not tape him to his bed."


	65. Chapter 65

Peter's smile was tired but his expression was amused. Tony's expression was aghast, and the personification of innocence.

"What? Of course not, Pepper. I'm his _father_. I'd never do that to him." He gestured to the boy's torso. "I taped him to his _bedding_."

She rolled her eyes.

"And that's better, _how_?"

"It's not designed to constrict him, dear. Only to remind him not to move, suddenly. If something happened, he could get himself free."

Pepper looked at Peter.

"You _let_ him do this?"

"It sounded like a good idea at the time…" the boy admitted.

She shook her head and picked up the bottle of pain pills that was sitting on the stand by his bed.

"What is Stephen _giving_ you? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"But it _works_," Stark pointed out. "He started to sit up, and didn't. Because of the tape."

She looked at Peter, again, but he just shrugged.

"It's true…"

"You're just saying that so you get cake."

Peter smiled, and took her hand once more.

"_You'd_ give me cake, right?"

Her expression softened, and she set the pills back on the stand and nodded.

"Yes."

"Then it's not a condition of agreement."

"You're okay with being taped to your bed? _Bedding_?"

"I don't want to have to be operated on, again."

Which was all that mattered to him. And to Pepper, really.

"Fine. But it comes off to eat. I don't want you trying to eat dinner laying down."

Knowing his luck, he'd choke on something and they'd get tangled in the tape trying to get him free to do the Heimlich or something.

Tony smiled, and nodded.

"Of course, dear."

He had plenty of tape, after all.

OOOOOO

It was – by design – a quiet evening with just the three of them.

Strange came to check on Peter right before dinner. He rolled his eyes when he saw the tape and heard the explanation for it, but since it wasn't hurting Peter, he didn't have any reason to object. Privately – _very_ privately – he actually liked the idea of a way to remind the boy about limiting himself to no sudden motions. It was simple, but fairly genius – which shouldn't surprise him considering the source. He didn't say any of that, though.

He pulled all the bandages to check Peter's stomach and chest, and showed them all the two stitches that closed the small incision that he'd made to use the scope on the boy's belly. There weren't any new bruises, no sign of infection, and Peter was able to confirm that while he did hurt a little, it wasn't as bad as before. Which was exactly how it was supposed to be, he told them.

With Pepper and Tony hovering, Stephen put new bandages on Peter, wrapping him tightly and then simply reminded Stark that the sticky side went down and told them all to have a good evening and that he'd check on the boy the next day.

Only minutes after he left, their dinner was delivered. Chicken, rice, green beans and, of course, cake for dessert. They talked about Pepper's day while they ate, and both adults were relived that Peter ate with a good appetite. He didn't eat as much as Tony would have liked, but they were wise enough, now, to let him and his stomach decide how much he should eat – and Pepper only smiled when he told them that he was making sure to save room for cake.

When the meal was over they watched a movie together as a family, with Peter carefully propped between the two of them, his head resting against Tony's shoulder and Pepper's arm around him. To their surprise – and somewhat to his – he made it through to the end credits. When it was done, though, he had to admit that he was, too.

He was taped once more to the sheets under him, again turned a little to his side so he didn't have to stare up at the ceiling when he was awake.

"We could stay awhile," Tony told him.

Peter shook his head.

"I'm going to sleep."

He loved having them be with him, but they had to have time for themselves, too, he knew, and evenings like this were the best time for it. There was no sense in him monopolizing their attention when he was asleep and not as able to appreciate that attention. When he was feeling better, he'd want to be cuddled and made much of; right then, he just wanted to sleep.

"You know how to reach us," Pepper said, leaning over him and kissing his temple, pressing the teddy bear against his side.

"Yeah." He closed his eyes when Tony brushed a hand against his forehead. "Good night."

"Good night."

They left him, even though they both would have stayed if he'd asked, and Pepper turned off the light as they left the room.

"He seems to be doing well…" she murmured as they walked out into the corridor outside Peter's quarters.

"He's doing great, Pepper," Tony assured her, his arm going around her waist as they headed for the lounge.

The others were letting them have their time with Peter, but they'd still want to know his progress, and if Stephen hadn't stayed to advise them, then they'd want to hear it from Pepper or Tony. Which was fine, of course.

OOOOOOO

"You taped him to his bed?"

Stark rolled his eyes, again, ignoring Natasha's amused giggles.

"No, Steve, I taped him to his _sheets_. Ask Pepper."

They all turned toward Pepper, clearly waiting to see her reaction to such an unorthodox treatment of the boy. She just shrugged.

"It makes sense."

"If he's a leaky pipe, maybe," Clint said with an amused grin of his own. "Does Strange know?"

"He told me about it before he went home," Natasha confirmed.

"We're not worried about him sleepwalking or anything?" Steve asked, always worried about their youngest cohort's health.

"Not right now." Stark leaned back in his chair, deciding that since he had all of them – and Pepper – together, he might as well bring up a final topic that was a bit more serious. "As far as I can tell, he doesn't seem to know that the attempted abductors are dead. Have any of you seen anything to make you think otherwise?"

They shook their heads, everyone looking toward Natasha since she tended to spend more time with Peter than the others.

"No. Not as far as I've seen, either."

"I want to debrief him," Steve said. "Like I have the other kids. When I do, we'll know, then."

"And if he _doesn't_?" Clint asked. "Do we let him know, or keep it from him?"

"We keep it from him," Stark said, immediately. "The less stress he has on him right now, the better. When he's healthier, if it comes up, we can readdress the issue then. Fair?"

They all nodded.

"You might ask Wanda if the Mind stone is going to let him know," Romanoff added. "_We_ might be able to keep it quiet, but if the infinity stone decides he needs to know for some reason, we couldn't stop it."

Which was a good point. Stark agreed.

"I'll contact her tomorrow."

"Natasha and I will debrief him once he's feeling a little better," Steve repeated.


	66. Chapter 66

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Steve asked. "We can wait a few more days."

Peter shook his head.

"No. Yeah. I'm okay. I'm the last one, right? Get me out of the way and you can close down the file, I guess."

"Yes, something like that."

It was the final debriefing – and nothing like the others had been.

For one thing, Peter was still in his bed, although he wasn't confined to it completely, now. A full week of enforced inactivity had allowed his stomach – and chest – a chance to heal enough that while he wasn't off the injured list, he was definitely well on his way to recovery. Of course, it'd been a rough week – mostly for him, due to being bored and forced by his own promise to stay in bed and keep still. Tony and Pepper – mostly Tony, since he was the stay at home one – had done as much as they could to keep him occupied, but it had felt like years and not just days.

They'd worked on his homework until he was more than caught up; he was actually ahead, since all of the teachers had sent him the work for the week in advance as well as what he'd missed, and sitting in bed unable to move more than necessary was a good time to get that completed. One less thing for him to stress over, and a good way for him and Tony to spend time together, as well.

Another source of help to keep him from being driven crazy with boredom was the fact that Shuri would make video conference calls with him every day. They didn't talk about anything too exciting; he would tire easily, and she understood that, so they kept the calls simple and short, at first. Mostly, she just would call to check on him, and to see if he needed bolstering.

If Tony happened to be in Peter's room at the same time, the two of them flirted outrageously with each other, just to amuse themselves by watching his various expressions as he tried to decide how serious they were about things. It was even better the rare times that _T'Challa_ was also near at hand on Shuri's side of the call to do the same. They weren't really interested in each other beyond a friendship, but it was fun to goad the adults – especially since they pretended to not realize that they were close enough to hear the conversations.

So Peter's debriefing was in his room, and while Steve had claimed a chair beside the bed, Natasha was in his bed with him, and was in a cuddling mood. Which meant that she was leaned up against the boy, with a hand on the small of his back and her head on his shoulder right up until they'd started talking to him.

"Tell us the events leading up to when you first realized something was going on that night…" Natasha requested.

Peter's version was similar to the accounts of the other teens. He had a good memory, and since he wasn't continuously taking the pain medications, now, he wasn't too loopy to access those memories. He also would add in what he was thinking, and what he was trying to accomplish when he described what he'd done.

"It was smart," Steve said, approvingly. "Taking those guys out with billiard balls. That's sound use of the resources available to you – and they were down, so you didn't need to worry about them coming back at you from behind."

"Yeah," Peter nodded. "That's what I wanted."

He went on to describe how Shuri had gotten annoyed with him for dragging her around, and shrugged at Natasha's amusement at that.

"Rule number one when dealing with Princesses," she said. "Even a level-headed one like Shuri. Never forget that they are princesses and don't drag them around."

"I know that, now," he said, ruefully.

Beyond that, though, even Peter's excellent memory started to fail him. He vaguely remembered the man Gerard holding a gun, pointed at him and saying terrible things, but he couldn't remember what he'd said, and why they were so terrible. He also remembered using magic, because he remembered the Mind stone taking over, but he couldn't remember the spell, or even the motions he'd made – despite already having that conversation with Strange, who had been curious, as well.

"Then I woke up here," Peter said, finally, with another shrug. "You guys probably know what happened a lot more than I do. It's all pretty fuzzy."

"Yeah," Steve said, nodding. "That's not uncommon with an injury like a gunshot. I've seen it before – a lot. I wouldn't worry about it, even if it never comes back."

Which, according to Wanda Maximoff – who was passing information from Vision as well as her own – it almost certainly _wouldn't_. Not only was Peter being sheltered from those terrible events by his own mind, but also it seemed, by the Mind stone, which apparently had no intention of letting the boy remember how terrible it had been to believe that Tony and Pepper had been killed, what it felt like to kill three men with a single gesture, or how badly it had hurt to be shot.

If they didn't like it exerting that control and buffering the boy's psyche, it didn't seem to care.

Short of them telling him what happened – which they'd already agreed wasn't an option any of them wanted to use – Peter wasn't going to know he'd killed anyone.

"No bad dreams?" Natasha asked, curiously, as Steve turned off the digital recorder they'd brought in since they weren't in a briefing room.

While Karen could – and probably _had_ – recorded everything said, it wasn't something that Tony wanted the boy associating with his AI. Karen wasn't there to record or spy on Peter, he reminded all of them. He didn't want Peter feeling he had to guard his actions in the privacy of his own quarters. Which was understandable.

"Not that I can remember," Peter replied, shaking his head. "Some distorted memories about diving over that bar, and Shuri yelling at me for pulling her to the floor that one time. Other than that, I'm sleeping okay."

"Tony isn't still taping you to your bed?" Steve asked, smiling.

Which made _Peter_ smile, too.

"That was only for while I was taking the medicines that made me forget I needed to make slow motion movements. I'm better, now."

Not so well that the bandages were ready to come off, yet, but well enough that if they _did_, Strange had assured everyone that his insides wouldn't come sliding out through the little holes in his skin, anyway. And he hardly hurt, at all, now.

"As far as your actions that night," Steve said, changing the subject back to the topic at hand. "I don't see anything that you could have done, differently, really. None of this is on you; you followed security protocols just right, and at the end of the day, it's a win for us and a loss for them."

"Which is all we can ever hope for, right?" Natasha asked Peter, hugging him before she released her hold on him and slid out of his bed.

"Right."

"And we made some new acquaintances," Rogers added. "I'm looking forward to seeing Wakanda."

"Are you going over?" Peter asked, curiously.

"Not yet," he told him. "But if Tony and Pepper are going to be there, we're going to want to go check the place out as far as a security perspective, and that will be my job."

"And mine," Natasha added. "Besides, someone will have to fly you out to join them after their honeymoon ends, and we'll want to know how their barrier works with the Quinjet before we risk you."

"Can I come when you do?" the boy asked, eagerly.

"That would defeat checking the thing out before we risk you," Steve pointed out. "But we'll see. A lot will depend on our schedules, of course."

"And _yours_," Romanoff said. "Just concentrate on getting better, okay? We'll worry about everything else as it comes up."

"Okay." He watched them gather the few things they'd brought with them; mainly a pot of coffee and the now empty plate of donuts. "I _am_ better, though, you know?"

Steve's smile was filled with affection and Natasha's with that and _more_.

"We know, baby. Let's keep it that way for a while, alright?"

"Yeah."


	67. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

"Got everything?"

Peter grinned, looking back over his shoulder at the Lamborghini and then to Ned standing beside him, and Tony and Natasha, who were standing in front of them.

"Yup."

"No speeding."

"I know. I won't."

"No hitchhikers."

"No."

"Stay with the bus, if you can."

"We will."

They were going to _Albany_, this time.

It wasn't as far away, but Peter had still been a little nervous when he initially brought up the topic of him and Ned driving to the next athletic decathlon competition. He had only been allowed out of bed and back to school for two weeks when Ned had pointed out that if they were going to try to get permission to drive themselves, they were going to have to ask, soon.

To his surprise, Tony and Pepper didn't seem too reluctant about the idea. They both pointed out to him that what had happened in Syracuse wasn't Peter's fault. He'd done everything that they had asked from him, and had handled himself well. It wasn't something that they could hold over him to keep him from driving to the meet – especially since it could all have happened, no matter _how_ they'd arrived in Syracuse.

This time the competition was being held in the hotel where the team was staying. It was a lot fancier, with a couple of large conference rooms that were going to be used for the meets and larger rooms for the students to share. There were also several restaurants right on site, so Peter had agreed to stay within the hotel area to avoid the need for any additional security aside from Voss and Stecker, who would once more going to be the team watching Peter during his weekend away.

"Don't worry, guys," Ned said, cheerfully. "We'll be fine."

The other students had already loaded themselves onto the bus and were watching from the windows – probably all waiting to see if Romanoff was going to kiss Peter, again, so they could catcall their approval.

Tony looked over and realized that the bus driver was politely waiting for them so he could get started. Natasha noticed, too, of course. Once more she hugged Ned, who preened at the attention and hugged her back – wishing he could figure out a way to get a selfie of that – but happy to have what he was getting. Then she hugged Peter, too, and kissed him – drawing the expected wolf whistles from the kids on the bus.

Peter blushed and smiled, hugging her for another moment before glancing over at the bus – and MJ. She was watching, too, and caught his eye and shrugged, smiling.

"Want me to grab your rear?" Natasha whispered, impishly, as she let him go. "That might make her jealous…"

He shook his head, still smiling.

"I don't _want_ her jealous," he reminded her. "Thanks, though. I'll see you on Sunday."

"Drive safe."

She and Ned left Tony and Peter, Natasha waving at the kids on the bus before she got behind the wheel of the Corvette and Ned getting in the passenger side of the Lamborghini. Stark handed Peter the keys to the car.

"Check in when you get there, okay?"

"I will."

"And _before_ that, if you need anything."

"Okay."

"Call Pepper, sometime this weekend, if you think about it – so she knows that you're thinking about her."

"I will."

"Need anything?"

"Just a hug goodbye."

Tony smiled, and pulled Peter into a rough hug. Not as long of one as he wanted, but he wasn't going to embarrass the boy by making too much of a scene in front of his friends.

"I'll see you when you get back."

He walked Peter to the driver's side of the car, but then headed for the Corvette without looking back.

OOOOO

Pepper answered her phone on the second ring, and the video that popped up when she did told Tony immediately that she was in her office. She smiled.

_"Is he on his way?"_

"Yes. They left the school about ten minutes ago. He said to tell you that he'll miss you."

_"_He _said that? Or you're just saying that he said that?"_

"He's a sensitive boy who cares about you," Stark replied.

Which didn't answer the question, so he didn't perjure himself to her.

_"Are you guys following him?"_

"Yes. He's doing fine."

She nodded, and then hesitated.

_"You don't think we let him go too soon, do you? I mean, he hasn't been back for very long."_

"It's a little late to change your mind, Pep," Tony told her with an understanding smile. "Don't worry. He's not there alone, after all, and he's only a phone call away if he needs anything."

"Besides," Natasha added from where she was driving. "He's got _Ned_ there to keep an eye on him."

Pepper rolled her eyes, but didn't discredit that.

_"How far are you going to follow them?"_

"They're going the same way we are for a while," Tony told her. "But we're going to stop at the sanctum, so we're not going to take advantage of that. We'll see you when you get home."

_"Drive safely."_

Natasha smiled at that, and the call ended.

"Another weekend without Peter – and this time you can't go to the competition because it's not new, anymore."

"I know."

"What are you going to do to keep yourselves from going crazy with boredom?"

They were used to the company of a teenager, now.

Stark smiled, and looked over at her.

"I thought I'd convince Pepper to go fishing. Want to bring Stephen and come along?"

She hesitated, but only for a moment – and Tony knew that that was only because she was going through whatever plans she and Stephen had for the weekend and was working a fishing excursion into that plan.

"Off the bank, right?" she asked. "Not out in a boat?"

"No. Pepper will want to stick around the compound – just in case."

"Right. Cause _Pepper_ will worry."

"Yeah. You know how she is."

Romanoff smiled, not at all fooled.

"I think fishing is a great idea."

Ahead of them the bus – and more importantly, the Lamborghini following it – turned left to go onto the highway. Despite an almost overwhelming desire to follow, just because it was Peter in the car, Natasha turned right and headed for the sanctum, instead.

He'd be all right. It was just for a couple of days, and he was – after all – only a call away if he needed them.

THE END

_A/N Okay, another one finished. I hope you guys are good with the way I make a possibly short story a bit longer. I just enjoy writing the dynamics of family life when I get into this group. New story is rattling around in my mind and shouldn't be too long from making an appearance. (on a personal health note, I went to see the surgeon today and she removed the stitches so I can lose the brace holding my knee straight. This means more mobility, but she also pointed out that she isn't going to release me to return to work until the end of July, so I suppose the spoiling will have to continue)._

_Thanks for reading!_


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